Soumya Vilekar And ANR v. Planet Marathi Seller Services Private Limited And ORS

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION IN ITS COMMERCIAL DIVISION COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION PETITION NO. 235 OF 2025 Soumya Vilekar & Anr

...Petitioners

Versus

Planet Marathi Seller Services Private Limited & Ors

...Respondents

Mr. Arunima Kumari a/w Waseem Pangarkaar, Nadiya Sarguroh, Keerthi Kamath and Allan David i/b MZM Legal LLP for the Petitioners.

Mr. Shrey fatterpekar a/w Shivani Deshmukh i/b. M Mulla Associates for Respondents.

CORAM

: SOMASEKHAR SUNDARESAN, J.

DATE : APRIL 25, 2025 PC :

1.

This Petition has been filed under Section 9 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 an agreement dated January 15, 2024. The arbitration agreement is contained in Clause 13 (found at Page 107 of the Petition). In the interest of brevity, the arbitration agreement is not being extracted here. Suffice it to say that this matter Digitally signed by ASHWINI JANARDAN VALLAKATI Date:

2025.05.09 12:15:50 +0530 falls within the jurisdiction of this Court.

ASHWINI JANARDAN VALLAKATI

2.

Having heard the parties for some time on the last occasion and today, it would be appropriate to convert this Petition filed under Section 9 of the Act into an Application under Section 17 for consideration by the arbitral tribunal. The parties have no difference of opinion on proceeding to an arbitrator forthwith. They are only unable to agree upon the identity of the arbitrator. 3.

The pleadings under the Section 9 Petition shall be converted into pleadings under Section 17 Application for consideration by the arbitral tribunal.

4.

In these circumstances, this Petition is hereby finally disposed of, in terms of the following order: a) Mr. Rubin Vakil, an advocate 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;

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 on which this order is uploaded on the website of this Court. 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 parties within a period of two weeks from receipt of a copy of this Order;

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.

5.

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. 6.

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.]