Veena Govind Malu v. Tushar Sudhir Kelkar,

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION ARBITRATION PETITION NO. 6 OF 2026 Veena Govind Malu & Ors.

...Petitioners

Versus

Tushar Sudhir Kelakar & Ors.

...Respondents

ARBITRATION PETITION NO. 8 OF 2026 Veena Govind Malu

...Petitioner

Versus

Tushar Sudhir Kelakar & Ors.

...Respondent

Mr. Amit Singh a/w Ashlesha Suryawanshi i/by Omkar Nevagi, for the Petitioner.

CORAM

: SOMASEKHAR SUNDARESAN, J.

DATE : FEBRUARY 17, 2026 ORDER :

ARBITRATION PETITION NO. 6 OF 2026 1.

Service affidavit is taken on record. Despite service, none appears for the Respondents. Hence, matter is taken up for final hearing.

2.

This Petition has been filed under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 ("the Act"), seeking appointment

of an arbitrator in connection with disputes and differences that are said to have arisen between the parties under agreements dated August 5, 2020 and August 22, 2020 ("Agreements"). The arbitration agreements are contained in Clauses 20 and 4 (Found at Page Nos. 86 and 111 of the Petition). In the interest of brevity, the arbitration agreement is not being extracted here. Suffice it to say that this matter falls within the jurisdiction of this Court.

3.

It is apparent from the record that the arbitration agreement was invoked by the Petitioner on July 28, 2025. A reply dated August 16, 2025 is filed to the said invocation.

ARBITRATION PETITION NO. 8 OF 2026 4.

Service affidavit is taken on record. Despite service, none appears for the respondents. Hence, matter is taken up for final hearing. 5.

This Petition has been filed under Section 11 of Act, seeking appointment of an arbitrator in connection with disputes and differences that are said to have arisen between the parties under an agreement dated September 2, 2020 ("Agreement"). The arbitration agreement is contained in Clause 8 (Found at Page No.61 of the Petition). In the interest of brevity, the arbitration agreement is not

being extracted here. Suffice it to say that this matter falls within the jurisdiction of this Court.

6.

It is apparent from the record that the arbitration agreement was invoked by the Petitioner on July 28, 2025. A Reply dated August 16, 2025 is filed to the said invocation.

7.

Since the grievances in both proceedings are interconnected, both the references are made to the same Arbitral Tribunal appointed hereby.

8.

The scope of review under Section 11 is explicitly set out in Section 11(6A) of the Act. It is now trite law, with particular regard to the decisions of a seven-judge bench in the Interplay Judgement1 followed by multiple others, including SBI General2 and Patel3 that the Section 11 Court ought not to venture beyond examining the existence of a validly existing arbitration agreement that has been formally executed. Even questions of existential substance is a matter that falls squarely in the domain of the arbitral tribunal, in view of Section 16 of the Act. 9.

Being satisfied that an arbitration agreement is validly in 1 In Re: Interplay Between Arbitration Agreement under Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 and Stamp Act, 1899 - (2024) 6 SCC 1 2 SBI General Insurance Co. Ltd. v. Krish Spinning - 2024 SCC OnLine 1974 3 Ajay Madhusudan Patel Vs. Jyotindra S. Patel - 2024 SCC OnLine, 2597

existence, and that arbitration has been duly invoked, it is in the fitness of things to refer the disputes and differences between the parties in connection with the aforesaid agreement to arbitration by a Sole Arbitrator.

10.

In these circumstances, this Petition under Section 11 is hereby finally disposed of, in terms of the following order: A) Justice (Retd.) Shalini Phansalkar Joshi, a former Judge] of this Court, is hereby appointed as the Sole Arbitrator to adjudicate upon the disputes and differences between the parties arising out of and in connection with the Agreement referred to above; Office Address:- Bungalow No. 12, Bhagya Chintamani Nagar, Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune - 411 038.

Email ID:

phansalkarjoshi@gmail.com B) A copy of this Order will be communicated to the Learned Sole Arbitrator by the Advocates for the Petitioner within a period of one week from the date of upload of this order. The Petitioner shall provide the contact and communication particulars of the

parties to the Arbitral Tribunal along with a copy of this Order;

C) The Learned Sole Arbitrator is requested to forward the statutory Statement of Disclosure under Section 11(8) read with Section 12(1) of the Act to the Advocates for the Petitioner so as to enable them to file the same in the Registry of this Court. The Registry of this Court shall retain the said Statement on the file of this Petition and a copy of the same shall be furnished by the Advocates for the Petitioner to the Respondent;

D) The parties shall appear before the Learned Sole Arbitrator on such date and at such place as indicated, to obtain appropriate directions with regard to conduct of the arbitration including fixing a schedule for pleadings, examination of witnesses, if any, schedule of hearings etc. At such meeting, the parties shall provide a valid and functional email address along with mobile and landline numbers of the respective Advocates of the parties to the Arbitral

Tribunal. Communications to such email addresses shall constitute valid service of correspondence in connection with the arbitration;

E) All arbitral costs and fees of the Arbitral Tribunal shall be borne by the parties equally in the first instance, and shall be subject to any final Award that may be passed by the Tribunal in relation to costs.

11.

Needless to say, nothing contained in this order is an expression of an opinion on merits of the matter or the relative strength of the parties. All issues on merits are expressly kept open to be agitated before the arbitral tribunal appointed hereby. 12.

All actions required to be taken pursuant to this order shall be taken upon receipt of a downloaded copy as available on this Court's website.

[ SOMASEKHAR SUNDARESAN, J.]