Bombay High Court
Hdfc Bank Limited vs Manikandan Bhoominathan Chattiar on 23 April, 2026
Author: Abhay Ahuja
Bench: Abhay Ahuja
2026:BHC-OS:10414
901 to 903 and 905 to 1150.doc
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION
SERIAL NOS. 901 TO 903 AND 905 to 1150
Ms. Bijal Gogri i/b GNP Legal for the Applicant in Sr. No. 1068.
Ms. Bijal Gogri i/b O.M. Gujar Law Chambers for the Applicant in Sr.
No.1006, 1007, 1024 and 1025
Mr. Suraj Gupta i/b SG Legal & Associates for the Applicant in Sr. No.
910, 911, 1009, 1018, 1019, 1089, 1093, 1096, 1098, 1100, 1103,
1105, 1106, 1107, 1109 to 1116, 1022 and 1023.
None present in other matters.
CORAM : ABHAY AHUJA, J.
DATE : 23rd April 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 India 1 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, NIKITA YOGESH GADGIL Digitally signed by 1 2026 SCC Online SC 7 NIKITA YOGESH GADGIL Date: 2026.04.23 16:41:27 +0530 Nikita Gadgil 1/2 ::: Uploaded on - 23/04/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 23/04/2026 23:45:07 ::: 901 to 903 and 905 to 1150.doc and the connected Interim Applications as well as the Chamber Summons, if any, stand accordingly 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.) Nikita Gadgil 2/2 ::: Uploaded on - 23/04/2026 ::: Downloaded on - 23/04/2026 23:45:07 :::