Locus standi in voluntary winding up is confined to persons expressly authorised by statute; the Registrar could not apply.

In voluntary winding up, the statutory scheme was treated as exhaustive on who may invoke the court's jurisdiction to remove or appoint a liquidator. The Act identified shareholders, creditors and the liquidator as the persons interested in such proceedings, and that class was held to be exclusive. As the Registrar of Companies was not among the persons expressly authorised to make such an application, he lacked locus standi and could not maintain the petition for removal of the voluntary liquidator or appointment of another liquidator.

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Issues: Whether the Registrar of Companies had locus standi to apply for removal of a voluntary liquidator and appointment of another liquidator in a voluntary winding up.

Analysis: The relevant provisions governing voluntary winding up were treated as exhaustive as to who could invoke the Court's jurisdiction. The statutory language identified the shareholders, creditors, and liquidator as the persons interested in such proceedings, and the provision for removal or appointment of a liquidator was read in that context. As the Registrar was not among the persons named by the Act to make such an application, he could not maintain the petition.

Conclusion: The Registrar of Companies had no locus standi to seek removal of the voluntary liquidator, and the petition was not maintainable.

Ratio Decidendi: In a voluntary winding up, only those persons expressly authorised by the statute may apply to the Court, and the specified class is exhaustive.

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