Chapter – I: General Provisions (Section 2 – 6)

Section 2: Definitions

(1) In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,—

(a) “arbitration” means any arbitration whether or not administered by permanent arbitral institution;

(b) “arbitration agreement” means an agreement referred to in Section 7;

(c) “arbitral award” includes an interim award;

(ca) “arbitral institution” means an arbitral institution designated by the Supreme Court or a High Court under this Act;

(d) “arbitral tribunal” means a sole arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators;

(e) “Court” means—

(i) in the case of an arbitration other than international commercial arbitration, the principal civil court of original jurisdiction in a district, and includes the High Court in exercise of its ordinary original civil jurisdiction, having jurisdiction to decide the questions forming the subject matter of the arbitration if the same had been the subject matter of a suit, but does not include any civil court of a grade inferior to such principal civil court, or any Court of Small Causes;

(ii) in the case of international commercial arbitration, the High Court in exercise of its ordinary original civil jurisdiction, having jurisdiction to decide the questions forming the subject matter of the arbitration if the same had been the subject matter of a suit, and in other cases, a High Court having jurisdiction to hear appeals from decrees of courts subordinate to that High Court;

(f) “international commercial arbitration” means an arbitration relating to disputes arising out of legal relationships, whether contractual or not, considered as commercial under the law in force in India and where at least one of the parties is—

(i) an individual who is a national of, or habitually resident in, any country other than India; or

(ii) a body corporate which is incorporated in any country other than India; or

(iii) an association or a body of individuals whose central management and control is exercised in any country other than India; or

(iv) the Government of a foreign country;

(g) “legal representative” means a person who in law represents the estate of a deceased person, and includes any person who intermeddles with the estate of the deceased, and, where a party acts in a representative character, the person on whom the estate devolves on the death of the party so acting;

(h) “party” means a party to an arbitration agreement.

(i) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(j) “regulations” means the regulations made by the Council under this Act;

(2) Scope.—This Part shall apply where the place of arbitration is in India.

Provided that subject to an agreement to the contrary, the provisions of Sections 9, 27 and clause (b)] of sub-section (1) and sub-section (3) of Section 37 shall also apply to international commercial arbitration, even if the place of arbitration is outside India, and an arbitral award made or to be made in such place is enforceable and recognised under the provisions of Part II of this Act.

(3) This Part shall not affect any other law for the time being in force by virtue of which certain disputes may not be submitted to arbitration.

(4) This Part except sub-section (1) of Section 40, Sections 41 and 43 shall apply to every arbitration under any other enactment for the time being in force, as if the arbitration were pursuant to an arbitration agreement and as if that other enactment were an arbitration agreement, except in so far as the provisions of this Part are inconsistent with that other enactment or with any rules made thereunder.

(5) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (4), and save in so far as is otherwise provided by any law for the time being in force or in any agreement in force between India and any other country or countries, this Part shall apply to all arbitrations and to all proceedings relating thereto.

(6) Construction of references.—Where this Part, except Section 28, leaves the parties free to determine a certain issue, that freedom shall include the right of the parties to authorise any person including an institution, to determine that issue.

(7) An arbitral award made under this Part shall be considered as a domestic award.

(8) Where this Part—

(a) refers to the fact that the parties have agreed or that they may agree, or

(b) in any other way refers to an agreement of the parties, that agreement shall include any arbitration rules referred to in that agreement.

(9) Where this Part, other than clause (a) of Section 25 or clause (a) of sub-section (2) of Section 32, refers to a claim, it shall also apply to a counter-claim, and where it refers to a defence, it shall also apply to a defence to that counter-claim.


Section 3: Receipt of written communications

(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties,—

(a) any written communication is deemed to have been received if it is delivered to the addressee personally or at his place of business, habitual residence or mailing address, and

(b) if none of the places referred to in clause (a) can be found after making a reasonable inquiry, a written communication is deemed to have been received if it is sent to the addressee’s last known place of business, habitual residence or mailing address by registered letter or by any other means which provides a record of the attempt to deliver it.

(2) The communication is deemed to have been received on the day it is so delivered.

(3) This section does not apply to written communications in respect of proceedings of any judicial authority.


Section 4: Waiver of right to object

A party who knows that—

(a) any provision of this Part from which the parties may derogate, or

(b) any requirement under the arbitration agreement, has not been complied with and yet proceeds with the arbitration without stating his objection to such non-compliance without undue delay or, if a time-limit is provided for stating that objection, within that period of time, shall be deemed to have waived his right to so object.


Section 5: Extent of judicial intervention

Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, in matters governed by this Part, no judicial authority shall intervene except where so provided in this Part.


Section 6: Administrative assistance

In order to facilitate the conduct of the arbitral proceedings, the parties, or the arbitral tribunal with the consent of the parties, may arrange for administrative assistance by a suitable institution or person.


IMPORTANT CASE LAWS

1. Interpretation of Section 2(2) of the Act, difference between ‘venue‘ and ‘seat‘:

Enercon (India) Ltd. v. Enercon Gmbh, (2014) 5 SCC 1 : “We find much substance in the submissions of Mr Nariman that there are very strong indicators to suggest that the parties always understood that the seat of arbitration would be in India and London would only be the “venue” to hold the proceedings of arbitration. We find force in the submission made by the learned Senior Counsel for the appellants that the facts of the present case would make the ratio of law laid down in Naviera Amazonica Peruana S.A. [Naviera Amazonica Peruana S.A. v. Compania Internacional De Seguros Del Peru, (1988) 1 Lloyd’s Rep 116 (CA)] applicable in the present case. Applying the closest and the intimate connection to arbitration, it would be seen that the parties had agreed that the provisions of the Indian Arbitration Act, 1996 would apply to the arbitration proceedings. By making such a choice, the parties have made the curial law provisions contained in Chapters III, IV, V and VI of the Indian Arbitration Act, 1996 applicable. Even Dr Singhvi had submitted that Chapters III, IV, V and VI would apply if the seat of arbitration is in India. By choosing that Part I of the Indian Arbitration Act, 1996 would apply, the parties have made a choice that the seat of arbitration would be in India. Section 2(2) of the Indian Arbitration Act, 1996 provides that Part I “shall apply where the place of arbitration is in India”. In Balco [Bharat Aluminium Co. v. Kaiser Aluminium Technical Services Inc., (2012) 9 SCC 552 : (2012) 4 SCC (Civ) 810] , it has been categorically held that Part I of the Indian Arbitration Act, 1996, will have no application, if the seat of arbitration is not in India. In the present case, London is mentioned only as a “venue” of arbitration which, in our opinion, in the facts of this case cannot be read as the “seat” of arbitration.”


2. Scope of Section 2(4) and 2(5) of the Act:

Bharat Aluminium Co. v. Kaiser Aluminium Technical Services Inc., (2012) 9 SCC 552:

“85………The exception of statutory enactments was necessary in terms of the last part of sub-section (4), which provides for non-application of this Part to statutory arbitrations in case of inconsistency. Thus, barring the statutory enactments as provided for under Section 2(4) of the Arbitration Act, 1996 and arbitrations pursuant to international agreement, all other arbitration proceedings held in India shall be subject to Part I of the said Act. Accordingly, the phrase “all arbitrations” in Section 2(5) means that Part I applies to all where Part I is otherwise applicable. Thus, the provision has to be read as a part of the whole chapter for its correct interpretation and not as a stand alone provision. There is no indication in Section 2(5) that it would apply to arbitrations which are not held in India.”

86. In view of the aforesaid observations, we have no doubt that the provisions of Section 2(4) and Section 2(5) would not be applicable to arbitrations which are covered by Part II of the Arbitration Act, 1996 i.e. the arbitrations which take place outside India. We, therefore, see no inconsistency between Sections 2(2), 2(4) and 2(5). For the aforesaid reasons, we are unable to agree with the conclusion in Bhatia International [(2002) 4 SCC 105] that limiting the applicability of Part I to arbitrations that take place in India, would make Section 2(2) in conflict with Sections 2(4) and 2(5).”