Madras High Court Attaches ₹154.63 Crore SEPC Receivables, Appoints PwC To Audit Financial Position

The Madras High Court recently ordered interim attachment of Rs. 154.63 crore from the trade receivables of SEPC Limited, formerly known as Shriram EPC Limited, and appointed an independent auditor to examine its financial position, observing that it “cannot sit like a lame duck” while awaiting submissions from banks claiming charge over the company's assets. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh passed the order in execution petitions filed by GPE (India) Ltd. seeking enforcement of a foreign arbitral...

J&K&L High Court Dismisses Contractor's Arbitration Plea Against Railways After He Issued Unconditional No Claim Certificate

The Jammu & Kashmir& Ladkah High Court on 13 February 2026 held that once a contractor voluntarily executes a supplementary agreement rescinding the original contract and issues an unconditional “No Claim Certificate,” no arbitral dispute survives. A Bench of Justice Sanjeev Kumar dismissed the petition filed by H.P. Singh & Co. under Section 11(6) of the J&K Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1997, seeking appointment of an independent arbitrator against the Union of India and...

Expiry Of Arbitrator's Mandate Due To Lapse Of Time Does Not End Arbitration: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has observed that when an arbitrator's mandate expires due to lapse of time, it does not amount to termination of proceedings under Section 32, Arbitration and Conciliation Act. A Single-Judge Bench of Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar additionally held that the expiry of mandate by lapse of time is curable and extended the arbitrator's mandate for a further period of six months from the date of the order for making the arbitral award. The Court noted: “...that both...

Meghalaya High Court Upholds BSCPL's 5-Year Blacklisting For Alleged Corruption In NH-44E Project

The Meghalaya High Court has recently upheld the five-year blacklisting of BSCPL Infrastructure Ltd by the State Public Works Department (Roads) for engaging in corrupt practices during execution of a National Highway project.The court held that the department was justified in acting on ledger entries showing expenditure on liquor, electronic items, hotel bills and donations for government officials during execution of a National Highway project. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Revati Mohite...

Objection To Arbitral Tribunal's Constitution Cannot Be Raised After Filing Defence: Bombay High Court

The Bombay High Court at Aurangabad has dismissed the State of Maharashtra's challenge to an arbitral award of Rs. 596.60 lakhs, holding that objections to the constitution of the arbitral tribunal cannot be raised after filing of the written statement, counter-claim and commencement of evidence.A Division Bench of Justices Arun R. Pedneker and Vaishali Patil-Jadhav on February 16, 2026, upheld the Commercial Court's May 6, 2022, order refusing to set aside the award dated February 11, 2018. ...

No Concluded Contract, No Interim Relief: Delhi High Court Dismisses Developer's Plea Against ARCIL

The Delhi High Court has dismissed Parsvnath Developers' plea seeking enforcement of an alleged Rs. 750 crore restructuring agreement against Asset Reconstruction Company (India) Limited, holding that courts cannot compel parties to honour a settlement that never matured into a concluded contract. Justice Jasmeet Singh held that the draft restructuring agreement remained at a negotiatory stage. Although drafts were exchanged, essential terms were unsettled. The schedules were marked preliminary...

Jurisdiction Clause In Umbrella Agreement Prevails Over Later Contract: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has recently ruled that when an umbrella agreement fixes a venue in one city but expressly confers jurisdiction on courts in another, the jurisdiction clause will prevail unless the parties clearly alter the juridical seat for the entire transaction. Dismissing two petitions filed by Ansal Housing Limited seeking interim relief under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar ruled that courts at Meerut, and not Delhi, had territorial...

Arbitration Act Is Self-Contained Code; Civil Revision Not Maintainable Where Appeal Lies: Patna High Court

The Patna High Court has reaffirmed that a civil revision under Section 115 of the Code of Civil Procedure does not lie against such an order passed under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 where the statute provides a specific appellate remedy. The Court held that the Arbitration Act is a self-contained code and that Section 37 exhausts the appellate remedies. Justice Ramesh Chand Malviya observed, “It is settled principles of law that the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 being...

Arbitral Award Holders Can Seek Interim Protection Until Award Is Fully Satisfied: Calcutta High Court

The Calcutta High Court on 18 February, held that an arbitral award holder is not left remediless after initiating enforcement proceedings and may seek interim protection under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act until the award is fully satisfied. A Division Bench of Justices Sabyasachi Bhattacharyya and Supratim Bhattacharya was hearing an appeal filed by Alok Saraf and others against the EPI Group, challenging a single judge's order dated 10 September 2025, which had refused ad...

Madras High Court Quashes ₹1.10 Crore Award Against Annai Builders For "Unintelligible" Findings

The Madras High Court on 17 February set aside a Rs. 1.10 crore arbitral award passed against Annai Builders Real Estate Pvt. Ltd., holding that the arbitrator's findings were unintelligible as two disputed running bills were allowed without examining objections of duplicate claims and excess payment, and by ignoring a detailed 242-page expert report assessing actual construction progress. A Single Bench of Justice N. Anand Venkatesh held that the award suffered from perversity and patent...

Bombay High Court Upholds ₹33 Lakh Award Against Dealmoney Commodities For 'Blatantly Unauthorised' F&O Trades

The Bombay High Court has recently upheld an arbitral finding that Dealmoney Commodities Pvt Ltd executed “blatantly unauthorised” Futures and Options trades in the accounts of a retired couple, which resulted in the depletion of their investment portfolio, and restored compensation of over Rs. 33 lakh with 18 percent interest. A Single Bench of Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh confirmed the investors' entitlement to Rs. 17,76,581 and Rs.15,32,073 respectively, with interest at 18 percent per annum...

Right To Seek Arbitration Ends Once Written Statement Stage Is Closed: Karnataka High Court

The Karnataka High Court has reiterated that a defendant cannot seek reference to arbitration under Section 8 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 after its right to file a written statement in a commercial suit has been closed, dismissing an appeal filed by real estate developer Bhagyalakshmi Homes LLP. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha upheld the Commercial Court's order rejecting the developer's plea to refer the dispute to arbitration. “It is...