Section 6 - Bilateral Netting of Qualified Financial Contracts Act, 2020

Chapter III

Invocation of Close-out Netting

6. Invocation of close-out netting.-

(1) Close-out netting may be commenced by a notice given by one party to the other party of a qualified financial contract upon the occurrence of an event of default with respect to the other party or a termination event that may, in certain circumstances, occur automatically as specified in the netting agreement:

Provided that where any one of the parties to a netting agreement is subject to administration, then no prior notice to or consent of the party in insolvency, winding up, liquidation, administration or resolution proceeding, or to the administration practitioner of such proceeding, shall be required.

Explanation.-For the purposes of this sub-section,-

(i) "event of default" means failure to pay or deliver or honour the obligations of a qualified financial contract, or bankruptcy, or any other event as may be agreed upon by the parties in the agreement; and

(ii) "termination event" means the occurrence of any event mentioned in the netting agreement which gives one or both parties the right to terminate relevant transactions under that agreement.

(2) The parties to a qualified financial contract shall ensure that all obligations owed by one party to another party under a qualified financial contract are reduced to or replaced with single net amount which has the following effect, namely:-

(a) the termination, liquidation or acceleration of any present or future payment or delivery rights or obligations arising under or in connection with any one or more qualified financial contracts to which a netting agreement applies;

(b) the calculation or estimation of a close-out value, market value, liquidation value or replacement value in respect of each right and obligation or group of rights and obligations terminated, liquidated or accelerated under clause (a) and the conversion of each such value into a single currency; and

(c) the determination of the net balance of the values calculated under clause (b), whether by operation of set-off or otherwise, giving rise to the obligation of one party to pay an amount equal to the net balance to the other party.

(3) Without prejudice to the provisions of any law for the time being in force requiring the realisation, appropriation or liquidation of collateral, and unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the realisation, appropriation or liquidation of collateral under a collateral arrangement shall take effect without any requirement of prior notice to, or consent from, any party, person or entity.

(4) Close-out netting shall be applicable to all qualified financial market participants who are parties to a qualified financial contract notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any law specified in the Second Schedule or any other law pursuant to which any qualified financial market participant has been incorporated, constituted or is regulated.