Clause 13

by inserting, immediately after subsection (1) of section 6, the following subsection:“(1A) The court may adjourn any case of bankruptcy coming within the cognizance of the court, or make such order or give such direction as it thinks fit for the just, expeditious and economical disposal of any such case, without requiring the parties to appear in person, by giving written notice of such adjournment, order or direction to all parties concerned.”; and

by repealing section 72 and substituting the following section:“Withdrawal of bankruptcy application72.—

Subject to subsection (2) and sections 65(9) and 67(5), a bankruptcy application shall not be withdrawn without the leave of the court.(2) Subject to subsection (3), if no party to a bankruptcy application has, for more than one year (or such extended period as the court may allow under subsection (4)), taken any step or proceeding in the bankruptcy application that appears from records maintained by the court, the bankruptcy application shall be deemed to be withdrawn on the date immediately following the expiry of that year (or extended period).(3) Subsection (2) shall not apply where the bankruptcy application has been stayed, or where proceedings on the application have been stayed, by the court.(4) The court may, on an application by any party made before the one year referred to in subsection (2) has elapsed, extend the time to such extent as it may think fit.(5) Subsection (2) shall apply to any bankruptcy application, whether made before, on or after the date of commencement of section 13(b) of the Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 2012, but where the last step or proceeding in the bankruptcy application took place before that date, the period of one year shall only begin on that date.(6) Where a bankruptcy application is deemed to be withdrawn under subsection (2), the court may, on application, reinstate the bankruptcy application and allow the bankruptcy application to proceed on such terms as the court thinks just.”.