****Hon'ble Justice S. Ravi Kumar has assumed charge as Chairperson, DRAT, Chennai w.e.f.09.03.2022 (FN)*

The Debt Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT) at Chennai was established by the Government of India vide Gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Finance on the 17^th of February, 2000 to hear and expeditiously adjudicate appeals preferred against the judicial orders passed by the Presiding Officers of various Debt Recovery Tribunals situated in the Southern region of India and it was constituted by the Government under Section 8 of The Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (RDDBFI Act). This Tribunal is also the second court of appeal in respect of cases filed under The Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002.

The Tribunal is headquartered at Chennai and functions under the administrative control of the Banking Division,Department of Financial Services (earlier Department of Economic Affairs), Ministry of Finance, New Delhi. Section 8 (1) of The Recovery of Debts Due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993 (RDDBFI Act) provides for the establishment of Appellate Tribunal known as Debts Recovery Appellate Tribunal (DRAT) by the Government of India to exercise the jurisdiction, powers and authority conferred on such Tribunal under Section.8 to Section.17 of the Act. Section 20 to Section 24 of the RDDBFI Act contain the provisions relating to filing of appeals before the Appellate Tribunal; as also the various judicial powers of the DRAT.

DRAT, Chennai functions as the court of Appeal in respect of the seven Debt Recovery Tribunals (DRT) functioning in various places in Southern India-i.e DRT-I, Chennai DRT-II, Chennai DRT-III, Chennai DRT-I, Bangalore, DRT-II, Banglaore, DRT-I, Ernakulam, DRT-II, Ernakulam, DRT-Coimbatore and DRT-Madurai. Section 18 & 19 of The Securitisation & Reconstruction of Financial Assets & Enforcement of Security Interest  Act, 2002 provides for the DRAT to function as the second court of Appeal against the orders on appeals filed under section 17 of the Act in various DRTs in the Southern Region.

DRAT, Chennai is presently located on the 7^th Floor, Additional Office Building, Shastri Bhawan, Haddows Road, Chennai, 600 006.