Belated liquidation claims are not maintainable when no legally sustainable explanation exists for filing after the prescribed deadline.

A liquidation claim filed after the prescribed last date for submission was held not maintainable. The explanation based on pandemic conditions was rejected, and the objection regarding publication in Ahmedabad editions was found unsustainable because the applicant had a zonal office at Ahmedabad. The underlying agreement also covered an earlier period, supporting the view that the claim was stale and barred by delay. As a result, admission of the claim in liquidation was refused.

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Issues: Whether the applicant's claim could be admitted in liquidation when it was filed after the last date for submission of claims and was alleged to be time-barred.

Analysis: The claim was first submitted only on 22.05.2020, whereas the last date for submission of claims was 31.10.2019. The explanation based on pandemic conditions was not accepted, and the objection regarding publication in Ahmedabad editions was found unsustainable in view of the applicant's zonal office at Ahmedabad. The agreement relied upon was also noted to have covered the period from 01.01.2011 to 31.12.2015, supporting the conclusion that the claim was stale and barred by delay.

Conclusion: The claim could not be admitted and the application was not maintainable.

Final Conclusion: Relief for admission of the claim in liquidation was refused because the claim was filed belatedly and was not acceptable on merits at that stage.

Ratio Decidendi: A claim in liquidation filed after the prescribed last date, without a legally sustainable explanation for the delay, is not maintainable and need not be admitted.

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