9. A bare perusal of the complaint filed by the appellant-company reveals that it has been filed in the name of the company through its authorised representative, Ripanjit Singh Kohli. Therefore, the complaint is by the appellant company in its own name. It has not been filed in the name of the power of attorney holder. The complainant, that is the appellant company is entitled to file the complaint in its own name through its power of attorney holder.
10. There is a general power of attorney of the appellant company in favour of one of its directors, Kavindersingh Anand. The said power of attorney was executed after it was duly approved by the board of directors in its meeting dated 01.05.2010. Therefore, one of the directors of the appellant-company, i.e. Kavindersingh Anand is holding power of attorney of the appellant-company and is the true and lawful attorney of the same.
11. The said power of attorney explicitly authorises him to appoint “counsel” or “special attorneys” for conducting all cases or otherwise to do all other acts and things for due prosecution or defence of legal or quasi legal proceedings anywhere in the world.
12. The aforesaid power of attorney Kavindersingh Anand, on the strength of the aforesaid power of attorney, authorised Ripanjit Singh Kohli to lodge the aforesaid complaint.
13. The law is settled that though the general power of attorney holder cannot delegate his powers to another person but the same can be delegated when there is a specific clause permitting sub-delegation. A careful reading of the general power of attorney would reveal that the appellant-company in its meeting of the board of directors held on 1st May, 2010 has resolved to appoint one of its directors Kavindersingh Anand as its attorney of the company who was specifically authorised vide paragraph 2 to appoint counsels or special attorney(s). The language deployed, i.e., to appoint special attorneys is clear enough to indicate that the power of attorney holder has been authorised to appoint special attorneys in addition to the counsel for conducting cases and for doing other relevant and material acts in that connection. The use of the words “to appoint counsels or special attorneys” would not mean that he was authorised only to appoint counsel or special counsel for the purpose. The use of the word ‘counsel’ and ‘special attorney’ have different connotations. The use of the aforesaid words to appoint counsels or special attorneys in paragraph 2 of the power of attorney is quite distinct and refers to not only to appointment of counsel but of special attorneys other than the counsel. This is implicit upon the reading of paragraph 16 of the power of attorney which specifically deals with the appointment of solicitors, counsels, advocates, other consultants or professionals, but does not refer to attorneys. Therefore, a combined reading of paragraph 2 and paragraph 16 of the power of attorney would bring home the fact that the power of attorney holder was authorised to appoint special attorney other than the counsel for the purposes for conducting and prosecution of cases on behalf of the appellant-company. This apart, the power of attorney holder was appointed under the resolution of the board of directors of the appellant company and the draft of the power of attorney was duly approved by the board. The said power of attorney as discussed above do provide for the sub-delegation of the functions of the general power of attorney holder and thus the filing of the complaint on behalf of the appellant company through its authorised representative Ripanjit Singh Kohli is not at all illegal or bad in law.
party
MITA INDIA PVT. LTD vs MAHENDRA JAIN – CRIMINAL APPEAL NO. OF 2023 [Arising out of Special Leave Petition (Crl.) No.6220 OF 2019] – February 20, 2023.
