Delhi High Court Upholds ₹1.93 Crore Arbitral Award In Favour Of BEL-ACC In Dispute With NHAI

On Tuesday 24 March, the Delhi High Court upheld an arbitral award in favour of BEL-ACC (JV) granting Rs. 1.93 crore towards revised rates, overhead losses, and additional resource deployment. Justice Subramonium Prasad dismissed a petition filed by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), holding that it does not warrant interference under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Court held: “...the findings of the learned Arbitral Tribunal demonstrate that a...

Dues Cannot Be Withheld Till Eternity: Delhi High Court Upholds Award Against MMTC

The Delhi High Court has upheld an arbitral award directing MMTC Limited to release withheld amounts of Rs 1.64 crore towards railway surcharge and Rs 56.93 lakh towards detention charges to Knowledge Infrastructure and another party, holding that the amounts could not be retained indefinitely when the alleged liability had not crystallised and the Railways had not processed the claims for years. The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad, dismissing MMTC's challenge under Section 34 of the...

State Cannot Appoint Arbitrator Under Maharashtra Municipal Councils Act Without Arbitration Agreement: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a special leave petition filed by Bharat Udyog Ltd, holding that the State Government had no authority under Section 143-A(3) of the Maharashtra Municipal Councils, Nagar Panchayats and Industrial Townships Act, 1965, which deals with issuance of policy directions regarding the levy and collection of octroi, to appoint an arbitrator between a Municipal Council and its agent.The court held that the government's exercise of such power could not be equated...

Local Residents' Obstruction Not Force Majeure: Delhi High Court Upholds Termination Of IRWO Contract

The Delhi High Court has upheld an arbitral award in favour of the Indian Railway Welfare Organisation (IRWO), affirming the termination of a housing construction contract and forfeiture of the contractor's bank guarantee and security deposit. The Court held that obstruction by local residents and apprehension of hostility at the site did not fall within the force majeure clause and that the contractor's refusal to resume work amounted to abandonment of the project. The Bench of Justice...

Delhi HC Dismisses Wadia Appeals, Refuses Higher Consultancy Fees In Married Accommodation Project Dispute

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed appeals filed by Wadia Techno Engineering Services Limited challenging arbitral awards in disputes arising from consultancy agreements for defence housing projects, holding that the consultant was not entitled to higher fees or compensation for delays. The court upheld a single judge's order refusing to interfere with the arbitral awards while maintaining the limited setting aside of certain claims relating to the Vizag project. A Division Bench of...

Figures In Conciliator's Report Do Not Bind Arbitrator: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court on 17 March dismissed a petition filed by ICICI Securities Ltd, holding that the amount indicated in a conciliator's report does not constitute an award and does not bind the Arbitral Tribunal in determining the final claim. Justice Sandeep V. Marne upheld an arbitral award of Rs. 23.30 lakh passed in favour of Ridhi Siddhi Investment in a stock trading dispute arising out of margin trading transactions. The Court observed: “Thus, the amount indicated in the report of the...

Bombay High Court Dismisses Multi-Credit Society's Appeal, Upholds Setting Aside Of Arbitral Award Over Borrowers' Membership

The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on 17 March dismissed an arbitration appeal filed by Rajlaxmi Multistate Credit Co-operative Society Ltd, declining to interfere with an order setting aside an arbitral award passed in its favour in a loan recovery dispute. A Single-Judge Bench of Justice Pravin S. Patil held that the arbitral award suffered from patent illegality as the arbitrator had wrongly assumed jurisdiction without establishing that the borrowers were members of the...

Rejection Of Impleadment Is A Jurisdictional Determination, Appealable Under Section 37 Arbitration Act: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has recently held that rejection of an impleadment application by an arbitral tribunal amounts to a jurisdictional determination under Sections 16(2) and 16(3) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and is therefore appealable under Section 37 of the Act. Justice Avneesh Jhingan observed that while deciding whether a non-signatory can be added to arbitration proceedings, the tribunal necessarily rules on its own jurisdiction. “The court on an application for...

Supreme Court Calls Govt. Contractual Clause Foreclosing Redressal Before Courts "Shocking"; Restores Award For ABS Marine

The Supreme Court on Monday expressed shock at the stand taken by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration that a contractual clause made its decision final and beyond challenge, holding that such a term offended the rule of law.The court made the observationwhile setting aside a July 11, 2018 judgment of the Calcutta High Court and restoring an arbitral award of Rs 2.87 crore in favour of ABS Marine Services. The ruling came in a dispute where the Andaman and Nicobar Administration relied on...

After Disputed Arbitrator Steps Down, Supreme Court Restores MSA Global–EPIL Arbitration Dispute To Delhi HC

The Supreme Court has held that the primary ground for restraining MSA Global LLC (Oman) from continuing arbitration proceedings against Engineering Projects (India) Limited ceased to exist after arbitral tribunal member Andre Yeap resigned, whose alleged non-disclosure had formed the basis of the anti-arbitration injunction.Accordingly, setting aside the Delhi High Court's decision dated December 12, 2025, the Supreme Court restored the appeal to the Division Bench for fresh...

Supreme Court Refuses To Interfere With Arbitrator Appointment In Gini & Jony–Benetton Dispute

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a Special Leave Petition filed by Gini & Jony Ltd. challenging the Delhi High Court's order appointing an arbitrator in its dispute with Benetton India Pvt. Ltd. arising from a distribution agreement for sale of United Colors of Benetton apparel products, involving an unpaid amount of about Rs 91 lakh.After hearing the parties, Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Atul S. Chandurkar dismissed the special leave petition and said: “After hearing the learned...

Supreme Court Issues Notice On Jiostar Plea For Arbitrator In Dispute Over IPL Media Rights For Bangladesh

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice in an arbitration petition filed by Jiostar India Pvt. Ltd. seeking appointment of an arbitrator in a dispute with UAE-based Green Bean Sports Marketing arising out of a media rights sub-licence agreement relating to the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the territory of Bangladesh.A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi, after hearing counsel, directed issuance of notice returnable on May 15,...