In the absence of a contract to the contrary, the mortgagee has, at any time after the mortgage-money has become due to him, and before a decree has been made for the redemption of the mortgaged property, or the mortgage-money has been paid or deposited as hereinafter provided, a right to obtain from the Court a decree that the mortgagor shall be absolutely debarred of his right to redeem the property, or a decree that the property be sold.
A suit to obtain a decree that a mortgagor shall be absolutely debarred of his right to redeem the mortgaged property is called a suit for foreclosure.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed—
(a) to authorise any mortgagee other than a mortgagee by conditional sale or a mortgagee under an anomalous mortgage by the terms of which he is entitled to foreclose, to institute a suit for foreclosure, or an usufructuary mortgagee as such or a mortgagee by conditional sale as such to institute a suit for sale; or
(b) to authorise a mortgagor who holds the mortgagee's rights as his trustee or legal representative, and who may sue for a sale of the property, to institute a suit for foreclosure; or
(c) to authorise the mortgagee of a railway, canal, or other work in the maintenance of which the public are interested, to institute a suit for foreclosure or sale; or
(d) to authorise a person interested in part only of the mortgage-money to institute a suit relating only to a corresponding part of the mortgaged property, unless the mortgagees have, with the consent of the mortgagor, severed their interests under the mortgage.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 67
Section 67 of the Transfer of Property Act, 1882 establishes the mortgagee's statutory remedies of foreclosure and judicial sale upon the mortgagor's default.
A usufructuary mortgagee can neither sue for foreclosure nor for sale.
Under modern commercial banking, while Section 67 requires filing a civil mortgage suit under Order 34 CPC, secured creditors possessing the status of 'banks or financial institutions' bypass Section 67 by enforcing securities directly under the SARFAESI Act, 2002 and the DRT Act, 1993.