Notice to Opposite Party: Tribunal serves Form NCLT.5; failure to appear may lead to ex parte disposal, reply requires affidavit. The Tribunal must serve the respondent with a notice in Form No. NCLT.5 together with the application and supporting documents and fix a hearing date. If the respondent fails to appear, the Tribunal may, after giving reasonable opportunity, proceed ex-parte. A respondent contesting the notice may appear personally or by authorised representative and must file a reply with an affidavit and copies of relied documents at the Registry before the hearing, serving them in advance on the petitioner; those filings become part of the record.