TMI Blog2019 (9) TMI 959X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... ngs and considering the arbitral award. Further, the application filed by respondent Nos.1 and 2 seeking permission to adduce evidence, no ground was made out as to the necessity of adducing evidence and what was the nature of the evidence sought to be led by respondent Nos.1 and 2. The proceedings under Section 34 of the Act are summary proceedings and is not in the nature of a regular suit. By adding sub-sections (5) and (6) to Section 34 of the Act, the Act has specified the time period of one year for disposal of the application under Section 34 of the Act. The object of sub-sections (5) and (6) to Section 34 fixing time frame to dispose of the matter filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration Act, 1996 is to avoid delay and to dispose of the application expeditiously and in any event within a period of one year from the date of which the notice referred to in Section 34(5) of the Act is served upon the other party. In the arbitration proceedings, the parties had sufficient opportunity to adduce oral and documentary evidence. The High Court did not keep in view that respondent Nos.1 and 2 have not made out grounds that it is an exceptional case to permit them to adduce evi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... e at Mangalore. Before the District Judge, respondent Nos.1 and 2 filed an application under Section 151 CPC to permit the respondents to adduce evidence. The appellant filed objections to the said application. By the order dated 02.06.2010, the learned District Judge dismissed the said application. Holding that the grounds urged in the application can very well be met with by the records of the arbitration proceedings and by perusing the arbitral award, the learned District Judge further held that in any event, there is no necessity of adducing fresh evidence in the application filed under Section 34 of the Act. 6. Aggrieved by the dismissal of their application under Section 151 CPC, respondent Nos.1 and 2 filed writ petitions before the High Court under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution of India. The High Court by the impugned judgment allowed the writ petitions and directed the learned District Judge to recast the issues and allow respondent Nos.1 and 2 to file affidavits of their witnesses and further allow cross-examination of the witnesses. After referring to the judgment in Fiza Developers and Inter-Trade Private Limited v. AMCI (India) Private Limited an ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... bmitted that respondent Nos.1 and 2 sought to adduce evidence to prove the grounds enumerated under Section 34(2) (a) of the Act. The learned counsel submitted that the grounds for setting aside the award are specific and therefore, necessarily respondent Nos.1 and 2 will have to plead and prove the grounds mentioned in Section 34(2) of the Act and prove the same and the High Court rightly allowed the writ petitions giving an opportunity to respondent Nos.1 and 2 to adduce evidence in the proceedings under Section 34 of the Act. 9. The proceedings under Section 34 of the Act are summary in nature. The scope of enquiry in the proceedings under Section 34 of the Act is restricted to a consideration whether any of the grounds mentioned in Section 34(2) or Section 13(5) or Section 16(6) are made out to set aside the award. The grounds for setting aside the award are specific. It is imperative for expeditious disposal of cases that the arbitration cases under Section 34 of the Act should be decided only with reference to the pleadings and the evidence placed before the arbitral tribunal and the grounds specified under Section 34(2) of the Act. 10. The learned counsel ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... arbitration matters brought to court, requiring promptness in disposal. . 21. We may therefore examine the question for consideration by bearing three factors in mind. The first is that the Act is a special enactment and Section 34 provides for a special remedy. The second is that an arbitration award can be set aside only upon one of the grounds mentioned in sub-section (2) of Section 34 exists. The third is that proceedings under Section 34 requires to be dealt with expeditiously. .. 24. In other words, an application under Section 34 of the Act is a single issue proceeding, where the very fact that the application has been instituted under that particular provision declares the issue involved. Any further exercise to frame issues will only delay the proceedings. It is thus clear that issues need not be framed in applications under Section 34 of the Act. 12. Though this Court held that the applications under Section 34 of the Act are summary proceedings, an opportunity to the aggrieved party has to be afforded to prove existence of any of the grounds under Section 34(2) of the Act. This court thus permitted the appl ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... that opportunity to furnish proof in proceedings under Section 34 of the Arbitration Act has led to inconsistent practices. The said Committee reported as under:- 5. Amendment to Section 34(2)(a) of the ACA: Sub-section (2) (a) of Section 34 of the ACA provides for the setting aside of arbitral awards by the court in certain circumstances. The party applying for setting aside the arbitral award has to furnish proof to the court. This requirement to furnish proof has led to inconsistent practices in some High Courts, where they have insisted on Section 34 proceedings being conducted in the manner as a regular civil suit. This is despite the Supreme Court ruling in Fiza Developers Inter-Trade (P) Ltd. v. AMCI (India) (P) Ltd. (2009) 17 SCC 796 that proceedings under Section 34 should not be conducted in the same manner as civil suits, with framing of issues under Rule 1 of Order 14 of the CPC. In light of this, the Committee is of the view that a suitable amendment may be made to Section 34(2)(a) to ensure that proceedings under Section 34 are conducted expeditiously. Recommendation: An amendment may be made to Section 34(2) (a) of the Arbitration and Concil ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... on. We are constrained to observe that Fiza Developers was a step in the right direction as its ultimate ratio is that issues need not be struck at the stage of hearing a Section 34 application, which is a summary procedure. However, this judgment must now be read in the light of the amendment made in Sections 34(5) and 34(6). So read, we clarify the legal position by stating that an application for setting aside an arbitral award will not ordinarily require anything beyond the record that was before the arbitrator. However, if there are matters not contained in such record, and are relevant to the determination of issues arising under Section 34(2)( a ), they may be brought to the notice of the Court by way of affidavits filed by both parties. Cross-examination of persons swearing to the affidavits should not be allowed unless absolutely necessary, as the truth will emerge on a reading of the affidavits filed by both parties. We, therefore, set aside the judgment in Girdhar Sondhi v. Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd. 2017 SCC OnLine Del 12758 of the Delhi High Court and reinstate that of the learned Additional District Judge dated 22-9-2016. The appeal is accordingly allowed wi ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X ..... sought to be led by respondent Nos.1 and 2. The proceedings under Section 34 of the Act are summary proceedings and is not in the nature of a regular suit. By adding sub-sections (5) and (6) to Section 34 of the Act, the Act has specified the time period of one year for disposal of the application under Section 34 of the Act. The object of sub-sections (5) and (6) to Section 34 fixing time frame to dispose of the matter filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration Act, 1996 is to avoid delay and to dispose of the application expeditiously and in any event within a period of one year from the date of which the notice referred to in Section 34(5) of the Act is served upon the other party. In the arbitration proceedings, the parties had sufficient opportunity to adduce oral and documentary evidence. The High Court did not keep in view that respondent Nos.1 and 2 have not made out grounds that it is an exceptional case to permit them to adduce evidence in the application under Section 34 of the Act. The said directions of the High Court amount to retrial on the merits of the issues decided by the arbitrator. When the order of the District Judge dismissing the application filed by respond ..... X X X X Extracts X X X X X X X X Extracts X X X X
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