The State Of Kerala And Anr. vs K.P. Poulose on 29 January, 1973
fore, it was not open to the court to go into the correct-
ness or reasonableness of the award. The High Court held
that when the arbitrator was constituted the sole and final
judge of all questions both of law and of facts, normally
his decision should stand final and it was only when there
was any error apparent on the face of the award either
because a question of law arose on the face of the award or
upon some paper accompanying or forming part of the award,
it could be interfered with. Thereafter, the High Court in
para 8 of its judgment observed that in the light of several
decisions it could say that there were any errors apparent
on the face of the award, and that the arbitrator had mis-
conducted himself and had travelled beyond his power. The
High Court referred to the decision of the Division Bench of
the Kerala High Court in State of Kerala v. Poulose, [1987]
1 KLT 781. The High Court, thereafter, observed that it was
not open to the arbitrator or the umpire to arrogate tO
himself jurisdiction and answer a question not referred to
him.