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6. In M/s. General Radio and Appliances Co. Ltd. v. M.
A. Khader (dead) by Lrs., (1986) 2 SCC 656 : (AIR 1986
SC 1218), the effect of amalgamation of two companies
was considered. M/ s. General Radio and Appliances
Co. Ltd. was tenant of a premises under an agreement
providing that the tenant shall not sublet the premises
or any portion thereof to anyone without the consent of
the landlord. M/s. General Radio and Applicances Co.
Ltd. was amalgamated with M/s. National Ekco Radio
and Engineering Co. Ltd. under a scheme of
amalgamation and order of the High Court under
Sections 391 and 394 of Companies Act, 1956. Under
the amalgamation scheme, the transferee company,
namely, M/s. National Ekco Radio and Engineering
Company had acquired all the interest, rights including
leasehold and tenancy rights of the transferor company
and the same vested in the transferee company.
Pursuant to the amalgamation scheme the transferee
company continued to occupy the premises which had
been let out to the transferor company. The landlord
initiated proceedings for the eviction on the ground of
unauthorised subletting of the premises by the
transferor company. The transferee company set up a
defence that by amalgamation of the two companies
under the order of the Bombay High Court all interest,
rights including leasehold and tenancy rights held by
the transferor company blended with the transferee
company, therefore the transferee company was legal
tenant and there was no question of any subletting.
The Rent Controller and the High Court both decreed
the landlord's suit. This Court in appeal held that
C/SCA/8235/2018 CAV ORDER
under the order of amalgamation made on the basis of
the High Court's order, the transferor company ceased
to be in existence in the eye of law and it effaced itself
for all practical purposes. This decision lays down that
after the amalgamation of the two companies the
transferor company ceased to have any entity and the
amalgamated company acquired a new status and it
was not possible to treat the two companies as
partners or jointly liable in respect of their liabilities
and assets. In the instant case the Tribunal rightly
held that the appellant company was a separate entity
and a different assessee, therefore, the allowance
made to Indian Sugar Company, which was a different
assessee, could not be held to be the income of the
amalgamated company for purposes of Section 41(1) of
the Act. The High Court was in error in holding
that1even after amalgamation of two companies, the
transferor company did not become nonexistent
instead it continued its entity in a blended form with
the appellant company. The High Court's view that on
amalgamation there is no complete destruction of
corporate personality of the transferor company
instead there is a blending of the corporate personality
of one with another corporate body and it continues as
such with the other is not sustainable in law. The true
effect and character of the amalgamation largely
depends on the terms of the scheme of merger. But
there can be any doubt that when two companies
amalgamate and merge into one the transferor
company loses its entity as it ceases to have its
business. However, their respective rights or liabilities
are determined under the scheme of amalgamation but
the corporate entity of the transferor company ceases
to exist with effect from the date the amalgamation is
made effective. "