Arbitration
& Conciliation Act, 1996
PART I: ARBITRATION-
CHAPTER I: GENERAL PROVISIONS
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;
(d)
"arbitral tribunal" means a sole arbitrator or a panel of arbitrators;
(e)
"court" means 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;
(f)
"international commercial arbitration" means an arbitration
relating to disputes arising out of legal relationship, 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)
a company or 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.
(2)
This Part shall apply where the place of arbitration is in India.
(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 Indian and any other country or countries, this Part
shall apply to all arbitrations and to all proceedings relating thereto.
(6)
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.
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 a 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 communication in respect of proceedings
of any judicial authority.
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.
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.
6. Administrative assistance
In order
to facilitate the conduct of the arbitral proceedings, the parties or
the arbitral tribunal with the consent of the parities, may arrange for
administrative assistance by a suitable institution or person.
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