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Part IV · Debt Restructuring Arrangements

58. Variation of Debt Restructuring Arrangement

Official English translation. Where it differs from the Sinhala or Tamil text, the Act itself says which text prevails.

(1)

Where a court has made an order confirming the coming into effect of the Debt Restructuring Arrangement under section 54, the Arrangement may be varied in accordance with its terms and subject to this section.

(2)

Whether on the personal insolvency administrator’s own initiative or the request of a debtor or creditor, a personal insolvency administrator, shall propose a variation of a Debt Restructuring Arrangement where –

(a)

it appears to the personal insolvency administrator that there has been a material change in the debtor’s circumstances; and

(b)

the personal insolvency administrator is satisfied that there is a reasonable prospect that a variation that addresses such circumstances would be approved by the debtor’s - creditors and implemented.

(3)

Where the conditions in subsection (2) apply, the personal insolvency administrator shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable —

(a)

require the debtor to complete an updated statement of the debtor’s financial affairs, in accordance with section 33;

(b)

assist the debtor in preparing a proposal for a variation of the Debt Restructuring Arrangement;

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(c)

request the consent of the debtor to the proposal and to the seeking of creditor approval of the proposal; and

(d)

write to each affected creditor to request them to indicate whether the proposal should be accepted.

(4)

When writing to each affected creditor under subsection (3), in respect of a proposal to vary a Debt Restructuring

Arrangement, the personal insolvency administrator shall —

(a)

give the creditor written notice of —

(i)

the proposal; and

(ii)

the updated statement of the debtor’s financial affairs, including details of the material change in the debtor’s circumstances;

(b)

give the creditor notice of a statement to the effect that —

(i)

the debtor satisfies the eligibility requirements of section 46;

(ii)

to the best of the personal insolvency proposer’s knowledge, the information contained in the debtor’s updated statement of financial affairs is complete and accurate;

(iii)

the proposal is a reasonable means of addressing the relevant change in the debtor’s circumstances; and

(iv)

the proposal has a reasonable prospect of being approved and implemented;

(c)

request to the creditor to provide a written response, via physical or electronic mail, setting out whether or not the proposal should be accepted; and

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(d)

give the creditor written notice of the need to provide this response to the personal insolvency practitioner in advance of a stated deadline, which shall be at least fourteen days after the proposal has been provided to each creditor.

(5)

A proposal to vary a Debt Restructuring Arrangement is accepted if –

(a)

the debtor provides consent in writing to the variation of the Arrangement;

(b)

the personal insolvency administrator writes to affected creditors of a debtor under this section;

(c)

subject to paragraphs (d) and (e), replies accepting the proposal are provided before the deadline stated in subsections (4) and (5) by creditors whose claims represent a majority in value of the claims of all creditors bound by the

Arrangement;

(d)

where the proposal includes terms modifying or limiting the rights of secured creditors, replies accepting the proposal are provided before the deadline stated in subsections (4) and (5) by secured creditors whose claims represent more than two thirds of the value of the claims of secured debts bound by the Arrangement; and

(e)

where the proposal includes terms modifying or limiting the rights of lessors or owners of goods under an agreement, including a hire-purchase agreement, by means of which a debtor is using or has possession of goods, replies accepting the proposal are provided before the deadline stated in subsections (4) and (5) by lessors or owners whose claims represent more than two thirds of the value of the claims of such creditors bound by the Arrangement.

Rescue, Rehabilitation and Insolvency

(6)

For the purposes of subsection (5), a creditor who does not provide a response to the personal insolvency administrator before a deadline of fourteen days after written notice of the proposal has been given to each creditor under subsection (4), shall be deemed to have stated that the proposal to vary the Debt Restructuring Arrangement should be accepted.

(7)

When a proposal to vary a Debt Restructuring

Arrangement has been accepted, the personal insolvency administrator shall, as soon as is reasonably practicable, submit to the Official Receiver —

(a)

a written notice of the creditor responses approving the variation to the Debt Restructuring

Arrangement; and

(b)

the final terms of the varied Debt Restructuring

Arrangement.

(8)

On receiving the documents set out in subsection (7), the Official Receiver must issue a certificate recommending the confirmation of the varied Debt Restructuring

Arrangement.

(9)

On issuing a certificate recommending the confirmation of a varied Debt Restructuring Arrangement, the Official

Receiver shall —

(a)

present this certificate, together with written notice of the creditor approval of the proposal to vary the Debt Restructuring Arrangement, and the final terms of the varied Arrangement, to the court; and

(b)

give written notice of the issuance of the certificate to -

(i)

the debtor;

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(ii)

the personal insolvency administrator; and

(iii)

all creditors listed in the Arrangement.

(10)

Where the appropriate court receives a recommendation from the Official Receiver with respect to a variation of a Debt Restructuring Arrangement under subsection (9), the court shall consider the recommendation, and make an order confirming the coming into effect of the varied Arrangement.

(11)

Where the court makes an order confirming the coming into effect of the varied Arrangement under subsection (10), the provisions of this Part shall apply to the varied Arrangement as if the varied Arrangement was an

Arrangement confirmed under section 54.

Part V

Debt Rehabilitation Orders

Part VI

Part VII

Personal Insolvency Register

Part VIII

Part IX

Part X

Compromises

Part XI

Micro Small Medium Enterprise (MSME) Company Debt Restructuring Arrangements

Part XII

Part XIII

Part XIV

Cross - Border Insolvency

Part XV

Part XVI

Part XVII

Schedules