Upper Ganges Valley Electricity Supply ... vs U.P. Electricity Board on 19 December, 1972
In Upper Ganges Valley Elec-
tricity Supply Co. Ltd. v. U.P. Electricity Board (supra),
the respondent had taken over the appellant's undertakings,
but as the parties were at variance on the true market value
to be paid to the appellant, the matter was referred to
arbitration. As the arbitrators were unable to agree on the
question whether the appellant was entitled to compensation
for the 'service lines' which were laid with the help of
contributions made by consumers, they referred the question
to the umpire. The umpire framed an issue and gave a finding
that the appellant was not entitled to claim from the re-
spondent the value of the position of the service lines
which were laid at the cost of the consumers, for the sole
reason that they were laid at the cost of the consumers. The
appellant filed an application under section 30 of the
Arbitration Act, 1940 challenging the validity of the award
on the question. The lower court and the High Court held
against the appellant. Allowing the appeal, it was held by
this Court that the appellant's application for setting
aside the award could succeed only if there was any error of
law on the face of the award. There, it was found, that the
umpire had made a speaking award and there was no question
of the construction of any document incorporated in or
appended to the award. If it was transparent from the award
that a legal proposition which forms its basis is erroneous,
the award is liable to be set aside.