Delhi High Court
Order Passed By Emergency Arbitrator Under DIAC Rules 2023 Can Only Remain In Operation For 90 Days: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court, while hearing an appeal u/s 37 of the A&C Act filed against the the Award dated 11.12.2024 (“Impugned Award”) passed by the Emergency Arbitrator under the Delhi International Arbitration Center (Arbitration Proceedings) Rules, 2023 (“Rules of 2023”) observed that the terms 'Emergency Arbitrator' and 'Arbitral Tribunal' are not interchangeable. Rule 14.11 of the Rules of 2023 bars the Emergency Arbitrator from being a part of the Arbitral Tribunal, except...
Delhi High Court Upholds Liability Of Company To Reimburse Official Liquidator's Security Expenses For Safeguarding Corporate Assets
A division bench of the Delhi High Court, comprising Justice Anil Kshetrapal and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar, has upheld the liability of a company to reimburse the official liquidator's security expenses for safeguarding corporate assets. Background of the Case The winding-up process of the appellant company (M/s Connoisseur Buildtech Pvt. Ltd.) was going on in the year 2016. A disputed plot of the company was there in Greater Noida, which was secured by the official...
Balco Disinvestment: Delhi High Court Upholds Arbitral Award Voiding Centre & Vedanta Shareholder's Pact
After over a decade of legal tussle, the Delhi High Court recently upheld an arbitral award declaring the Shareholders' Agreement (SHA) between Vedanta Limited (then Sterlite Industries) and the Union of India void, which had given Vedanta the exclusive right to buy the government's remaining 49% stake in Bharat Aluminium Company Limited (BALCO) after a three-year lock-in period. The court agreed with the arbitral tribunal that the agreement's clauses restricting the sale of shares violated...
Award Passed After Expiry Of Arbitrator's Mandate Is Non-Est, Court Can't Extend Mandate Post-Award: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court held that an award passed after expiry of the arbitrator's mandate is non-est and unforceable holding that the court has no power to extend the mandate post award if no application seeking extension of the mandate was pending before the award was passed. A Division bench of Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice Vinod Kumar held that the award becomes operational only when it is written,dated and signed by the arbitrator giving reasons on which it is based and the...
Order Terminating Arbitration For Non-Filing Of Statement Of Claim Is Not 'Award', Cannot Be Challenged U/S 34 A&C Act: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court held that an order terminating arbitral proceedings under section 25 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (Arbitration Act) on account of non-filing of statement of claim does not amount to an arbitral award and therefore cannot be challenged under section 34. Justice Jasmeet Singh held that “the Award can only be considered to be an award once it adjudicates the rights of the parties. The order terminating the proceedings for non-filing of a statement of...
Delhi High Court Deprecates ANI's Conduct In Copyright Infringement Case Against 'Dynamite News'
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal filed by news agency Asian News International (ANI), challenging a single judge order passed in its copyright infringement suit against news platform Dynamite News.The single judge had on October 14 directed YouTube to unblock the channel of Dynamite News.A division bench comprising Justice C Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla found no merit in ANI's appeal and dismissed it in limine. On March 21, Dynamite News told the Court that it...
Renting/Leasing Residential Premises For Use As Residence Exempt From GST: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that GST cannot be levied on renting/ leasing of residential premises for use as residence.Justice Sachin Datta clarified thus while dealing with a plea to quash an order passed by the Collector of Stamps directing the petitioner to pay allegedly deficient stamp duty on a lease deed executed with a private company, in respect of a residential property in city's Vasant Vihar area.As per the Collector, stamp duty was deficient due to purported applicability of GST.The...
Income Tax Commissioner's Order For Reopening Assessment U/S 151 Income Tax Act Can Be In Words "Yes, I Am Convinced": Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that the Income Tax Commissioner's order granting sanction under Section 151 of the Income Tax Act 1961 for reopening assessment after four years of the relevant Assessment Year (AY) can be in the words— “Yes, I am convinced”.Section 151(1) of the Act categorically provides that no notice for reassessment shall be issued under Section 148 by the Assessing Officer (AO), after expiry of four years from the end of the relevant AY, unless the Commissioner is satisfied...
Legal Heirs Have Right To Seek Impleadment In Pending Appeals Under FEMA: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has observed that legal heirs have right to seek Impleadment after the appellant's death in pending appeals under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act, 1973, and the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999. “…the right to seek impleadment of legal heirs in such circumstances is not one that arises dehors the statute; rather, it is one that is expressly recognised and preserved within the statutory framework of both FERA, 1973 and FEMA, 1999,” Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma...
Arbitrators Cannot Be Disqualified For Merely Participating In Prior Arbitration Involving Interpretation Of Similar Clause: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court dismissed a petition under section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (Act) filed by Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) against an arbitral award passed in favor of British Marine PLC.(Respondent). SAIL entered into Contract of Affreightment (COA) with the respondent for transportation of 3 million metric tonnes (±5%) of coking coal over five years. The court further held that just because arbitrators had interpreted a similar clause in the previous...
Customs Housing Agent Can Be Made Liable For Wrongdoings Of Employees, Must Exercise Due Diligence: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has made it clear that a Customs Housing Agent is responsible for the actions of its employees and it must exercise due diligence in supervising their activities.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Shail Jain further held that a CHA may be held accountable for the wrongdoings of its employee but, the punishment in that regard has to be proportionate.The observations come in an appeal preferred by a CHA against revocation of its license over misdeclaration in...
Unregistered Firm Can Sue To Enforce Statutory Or Common Law Rights; S.69(2) Partnership Act No Bar: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has held that Section 69(2) of the Partnership Act, 1932 is not an embargo to suits filed by unregistered firms, if any statutory or common law right is being sought to be enforced.A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Shail Jain observed,“Section 69 of the Indian Partnership Act, 1932 has an embargo on an un-registered firm from filing a suit or any proceeding for enforcement of a right. However, the exceptions to the said provision are carved out in Haldiram...