In Brief
Vaishno Enterprises, an Indian MSME consultant, approached the MSME Facilitation Council to resolve a payment dispute with Hamilton Medical AG, a Swiss medical equipment company. However, the Council lacked jurisdiction because the contract was signed on 24 August 2020, before Vaishno registered as an MSME on 28 August 2020. The Supreme Court upheld the High Court's dismissal of the claim, holding that the MSME Act applies only when a supplier is registered at the time of contract execution. Subsequent MSME registration cannot confer jurisdiction over pre-existing disputes. The Court left open whether the outcome might differ if a foreign buyer conducts business in India through service centres.
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