The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India issued a discussion paper proposing amendments to the Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure Regulations, 2017 following changes introduced by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act, 2026. The amendment introduces a unified definition of “service provider” under the Code, covering insolvency professionals, agencies, information utilities, and other notified entities, and proposes aligning the regulations accordingly. It also suggests replacing the prescribed complaint form within the regulations with a format to be notified separately through circulars to enhance operational flexibility without altering its content. The draft amendment further proposes omission of the existing Form A from the regulations. The Board has invited public comments on the proposed changes, with a deadline of 28 April 2026, before finalizing amendments under its statutory powers.
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India
15th April, 2026
DISCUSSION PAPER ON AMENDMENTS TO IBBI (GRIEVANCE AND COMPLAINT HANDLING PROCEDURE) REGULATIONS, 2017
Background
1. Consequential to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Act, 2026 (Amendment Act) which received the presidential assent on 06th April, 2026, there is a need to amend the IBBI (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2017.
2. The clause 2 of the Amendment Act amends section 3 of the Code by inserting a definition of the term ‘service provider’ to include an insolvency professional, insolvency professional agency, information utility registered with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (‘Board’), and other persons notified by the Central Government for rendering services in relation to the insolvency and bankruptcy processes under the Code. The Amendment Act thus introduces ‘service provider’ as a defined term under the Code, bringing all relevant entities under a single, unified definition.
3. Further, clause 63 of the Amendment Act amends section 217 of the Code to substitute the words “insolvency professional agency or insolvency professional or information utility”, wherever they occur in the section, with the term “service provider”, as a common definition of “service provider” is inserted under section 3 of the Code. Therefore, these provisions will apply to all types of persons covered under the definition of “service provider”.
Proposal
4. In view of the changes in the Amendment Act, the following is proposed:
Definition of ‘service provider’ in the IBBI (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2017 is proposed to be aligned with the definition in the Amendment Act.
5. Additionally, the following is also proposed:
Amendments may be made in the Regulations that the relevant Form for filing complaint may be notified through a Circular instead of being embedded in the regulations, to provide operational flexibility and reduce regulatory burden. No change is suggested in the content of the present Form.
Proposed Amendments
6. A draft of proposed notification for amendment of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2017 in this regard is prepared and placed at Annexure.
7. Public comments: The Board accordingly solicits comments on the proposals discussed above and the draft regulations proposed above. After considering the comments, the Board proposes to make regulations under clauses (aa), (q) and (t) of sub-section (1) of section 196 read with section 240 of the Code. The process for submission of comments is provided at Pages 5 & 6.
8. The last date for submission of comments is 28th April, 2026.
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ANNEXURE
THE GAZETTE OF INDIA
EXTRAORDINARY
PART III, SECTION 4
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
NEW DELHI,……… 2026
INSOLVENCY AND BANKRUPTCY BOARD OF INDIA
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the……… 2026
Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026.
No. IBBI/2025-26/GN/REG…..— In exercise of the powers conferred by section 196 read with section 240 of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 (31 of 2016), the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India hereby makes the following regulations to further amend the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2017, namely:-
1. (1) These regulations may be called the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette.
2. In the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2016, (hereinafter referred to as ‘the principal regulations’), in regulation 2, in clause (i), for the words “means an insolvency professional agency, an insolvency professional, an insolvency professional entity or an information utility” the words “shall have the same meaning as assigned in clause (31A) of section 3 of the Code” shall be substituted.
3. In the principal regulations, in sub-regulation (3) of regulation 3, for the words “Form A”, the words “in such format as notified by the Board” shall be substituted.
4. In the principal regulations, after Chapter V, Form A shall be omitted.
RAVI MITAL, Chairperson
ADVT[….]
Note: The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) Regulations, 2017 were published vide Notification No. IBBI/2017-18/GN/REG/21 dated 06th December, 2017 in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4, No. 461 dated 07th December, 2017 and were last amended by the IBBI (Grievance and Complaint Handling Procedure) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025 published vide Notification No. IBBI/2024-25/GN/REG119—, dated the 28th January 2025 in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part III, Section 4, No. 80 on 28th January 2025.
Process for submission of Public Comments
The comments may be submitted electronically by 28th April, 2026. For providing comments, please follow the process as under:
i. Visit IBBI website at www.ibbi.gov.in;
ii. Select ‘Public Comments’, then select ‘Discussion paper – Grievance & Complaint handling procedure- April 2026’
iii. Provide your Name and Email-ID;
iv. Select the stakeholder category, namely, –
a. Corporate Debtor;
b. Personal Guarantor to a Corporate Debtor;
c. Proprietorship firms;
d. Partnership firms;
e. Creditor to a Corporate Debtor;
f. Insolvency Professional;
g. Insolvency Professional Agency;
h. Insolvency Professional Entity;
i. Academics;
j. Investor; or
k. Others.
v. Select the kind of comments you wish to make, namely,
a. General Comments; or
b. Specific Comments.
vi. If you have selected ‘General Comments’, please select one of the following options:
a. Inconsistency, if any, between the provisions within the regulations (intra regulations);
b. Inconsistency, if any, between the provisions in different regulations (inter regulations);
c. Inconsistency, if any, between the provisions in the regulations with those in the rules;
d. Inconsistency, if any, between the provisions in the regulations with those in the Code;
e. Inconsistency, if any, between the provisions in the regulations with those in any other law;
f. Any difficulty in implementation of any of the provisions in the regulations;
g. Any provision that should have been provided in the regulations, but has not been provided; or
h. Any provision that has been provided in the regulations but should not have been provided.
And then write comments under the selected option.
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