Fedbank Financial Services Limited v. Aruna Manoj Kumar Jadav

901-906.doc

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION SERIAL NOS. 901 TO 906 Ms. Bijal Gogri i/b. O M Gujar Law Chambers, Advocate for the Applicant in Sr. No.902.

Ms. Vedika Pedhambkar i/b. Akhil Modi & Associates, Advocate for the Applicant in Sr. Nos. 903 to 906.

Ms. Kashmira Khedekar i/b. P.G. Sabnis, Advocate for the Respondent in Sr. No. 906.

CORAM

:

ABHAY AHUJA, J.

DATE :

10th June, 2026 PC:- 1.

All these matters have been listed in view of the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court in the case of Bhadra International (India) Pvt. Ltd. and Others vs. Airports Authority of India1 where the Hon'ble Supreme Court has observed that unilateral appointment of arbitrator is void ab initio and the ineligibility can be raised at any stage and even in execution.

2.

Since in all these matters it has been found by the office of the Prothonotary & Senior Master of this Court that the appointment of the sole arbitrator has been unilateral, in view of the above decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, the respective arbitral awards stand set aside and the Commercial Execution Applications / Execution Applications, 2026 SCC Online SC 7 Mandar M. 1/2

901-906.doc and the connected Interim Applications as well as the Chamber Summons, if any, accordingly stand dismissed / disposed. 3.

It would be open to the parties to initiate fresh arbitration proceedings in accordance with law.

4.

As far as limitation is concerned, the period from the invocation of the arbitration till today be excluded in initiating fresh arbitration proceedings.

5.

Liberty to apply in the event there exists an express agreement in writing in terms of proviso to Section 12(5) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (the "said Act") waiving the ineligibility of the sole arbitrator or the right to object under Section 12(5) of the said Act. (ABHAY AHUJA, J.) Mandar M. 2/2