Guide

How NCLT and IBC liquidation auctions work

Liquidation auctions under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code sell the assets of a company being wound up. They are run by a liquidator appointed by the NCLT, not by a bank.

Who runs the sale

An Insolvency Professional acting as liquidator conducts the process under IBC regulations, publishes the sale notice and issues the sale certificate.

Queries go to the liquidator named in the notice, and the terms of sale are set out in the notice and the accompanying e-auction process document.

What gets sold

Land and factory buildings, plant and machinery, vehicles, stock and scrap — often as a going concern or as a block of assets rather than a single unit.

  • Block sales can require large EMD amounts
  • Machinery lots are sold as-is, so inspection matters more than paperwork
  • Going-concern sales may carry employee and statutory liabilities

How it differs from a bank auction

A SARFAESI bank auction enforces one lender's security over one asset. A liquidation sale disposes of a whole company's estate and distributes proceeds among creditors under the IBC waterfall.

Timelines, possession and tax treatment therefore differ lot by lot — read each process document rather than assuming standard terms.