Admitted contractual dues must be paid, while disputed MSME claims may proceed before the Facilitation Council.

Admitted contractual dues arising from four works contracts were directed to be paid within 45 days after the respondents accepted, on reconciliation, that a substantial amount remained outstanding. The Court treated the undisputed liability as payable immediately and left the disputed balance open for pursuit under the statutory MSME mechanism before the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council, which had been constituted in Tripura. The decision thus distinguishes between admitted dues, enforceable through a direct payment direction, and disputed claims, which must be taken before the Facilitation Council for resolution under the applicable framework.

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Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to payment of the admitted contractual dues and whether the disputed claims could be pursued before the Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council.

Analysis: The petitioner had executed the works under four agreements and the respondents, after reconciliation, accepted that a substantial amount remained payable. The State also informed the Court that a Micro and Small Enterprises Facilitation Council had been constituted in Tripura. In view of the admitted position, the Court directed payment of the undisputed amount within a fixed time. As the remaining claims were disputed, the petitioner was left at liberty to pursue them before the Facilitation Council under the statutory mechanism available to an MSME.

Conclusion: The petitioner was held entitled to payment of the admitted dues of about Rs.7.88 crores within 45 days, and the disputed claims were left open to be raised before the Facilitation Council.

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