The Insolvency (Northern Ireland) Order 1989

Application for winding up N.I.

104.—(1) Subject to the provisions of this Article, an application to the High Court for the winding up of a company shall be by petition presented either by the company, or the directors, or by any creditor or creditors (including any contingent or prospective creditor or creditors), contributory or contributories [F1 , or by a liquidator (within the meaning of Article 2(b) of the EC Regulation) appointed in proceedings by virtue of Article 3(1) of the EC Regulation or a temporary administrator (within the meaning of Article 38 of the EC Regulation)],[F2 or by the chief clerk in exercise of the power conferred by section 35(4A) of the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1945 (enforcement of fines imposed on companies) or a clerk of petty sessions in exercise of the power conferred by Article 92A of the Magistrates' Courts (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 (enforcement of fines imposed on companies)] or by all of any of those parties, together or separately.

(2 )F3  Except as mentioned in paragraph (3), a contributory is not entitled to present a winding‐up petition unless either—

(a) the number of members is reduced below 2, or

(b) the shares in respect of which he is a contributory, or some of them, either were originally allotted to him, or have been held by him, and registered in his name, for at least 6 months during the 18 months before the commencement of the winding up, or have devolved on him through the death of a former holder.

(3 )F3  A person who is liable under Article 63 to contribute to a company's assets in the event of its being wound up may petition on either of the grounds set out in Article 102(f) and (g), and paragraph (2) does not then apply; but unless the person is a contributory otherwise than under Article 63, he may not in his character as contributory petition on any other ground.

(4) F4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F5 (4AA) A winding up petition may be presented by the Registrar of Credit Unions for Northern Ireland in a case falling within Article 104C(1) or (2).]

[F6 (4A )F3  A winding-up petition on the ground set out in Article 102(fa) may only be presented by one or more creditors]

(5) A winding‐up petition may be presented by the Department—

(a )F3 if the ground of the petition is that in Article 102(b) or (c), or

[F7 (b) in a case falling within Article 104A[F8 or 104B].]

[F9 (5A) A winding-up petition may be presented by the Regulator of Community Interest Companies in a case falling within section 50 of the Companies (Audit, Investigations and Community Enterprise) Act 2004.]

(6) Where a company is being wound up voluntarily, a winding‐up petition may be presented by the official receiver as well as by any other person authorised in that behalf under the other provisions of this Article; but the High Court shall not make a winding‐up order on the petition unless it is satisfied that the voluntary winding up cannot be continued with due regard to the interests of the creditors or contributories.

F1 SR 2002/334

F2 1994 NI 15

F3 mod. by SR 2004/307

F4 Art. 104(4) omitted (1.10.2009) by virtue of Companies Act 2006 (Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/1941), arts. 2(1), 8, Sch. 1 para. 111(14) (with art. 10)

F5 Art. 104(4AA) inserted (18.8.2006) by The European Cooperative Society Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/2078), reg. 33(4)

F6 2002 NI 6

F7 1990 NI 10

F8 SR 2004/417

F9 Art. 104(5A) inserted (6.4.2007) by Companies Act 2006 (Commencement No. 2, Consequential Amendments, Transitional Provisions and Savings) Order 2007 (S.I. 2007/1093), arts. 1(3), 6(2), Sch. 4 para. 56 (with art. 11(1))