Agreement for Arbitration and to appoint sole Arbitrator.

Format of agreement for Arbitration and to appoint sole arbitrator.

Dispute between parties can be solved by appointing Arbitrators. Some times the party may agree to appoint sole arbitrator with the consent of all the parties. It may reduce cost of arbitration as the expenses related to single arbitrator may be less in comparison with more than one Arbitrators. Appointment of Arbitrator is governed by section 7 of The Arbitration and Reconciliation Act 1976. Relevant provision is also given here.

Sample Format of Agreement for Arbitration and to appoint sole Arbitrator is given below.

 

AGREEMENT

This Agreement made at ____ on this __ day of _______ between:

1.  Mr. A __________ son of ___________ aged ___________ Resident of _________________________of hereinafter called the FIRST PARTY

AND

Mr. B Son of ___________ aged ___________ Resident of _______________of hereinafter called the SECOND PARTY

AND

Mr. C Son of ___________ aged ___________ Resident of _______________of hereinafter called the THIRD PARTY

AND

Mr. D Son of ___________ aged ___________ Resident of _______________of hereinafter called the FOURTH PARTY

AND

Mr. E Son of ___________ aged ___________ Resident of _______________of hereinafter called the FIFTH PARTY

That disputes have arisen between the parties hereto respecting claim against First Party and Second Party by Third, Fourth and Fifth Parties. Since the parties are not able to amicably settle the disputes, The parties aforementioned agree to refer the said disputes to arbitration.

Now it is agreed between the Parties Hereto as follows:

1. All the matters in dispute relating to the claims of C, D and E are referred to the final determination and award of Mr. ______________ as arbitrator.

2. For the purpose of final determination of the disputes aforesaid, the arbitrator may take such evidence and make such enquiries, as he deems proper. He may proceed ex parte in case any party fails to attend before him after reasonable notice. However, he cannot embark upon any secret enquiries for this purpose behind the back of the parties.

3. The provisions of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996, so far as applicable and as are not consistent or repugnant to the purposes of this reference shall apply to this reference to arbitration.

4. All the parties agree that they would co-operate and lead evidence before the arbitrator.

5. The parties hereto agree that this reference to arbitration would not be revoked by death of either party or for any cause.

6. The award of the arbitrator shall be binding on the parties their heirs, executors and legal representatives.

7. The parties hereto agree that within one months of the passing of award, the said award shall be filed in the court and a decree obtained in the terms of the award.

8. The cost of this reference shall be in the discretion of the arbitrator.

In Witness Whereof the parties hereto have signed this agreement on the day and year first written above:
 

A ___________________

Witnesses
1.

B ___________________

2.

C ___________________

 

D ___________________

 

E ___________________

 

Relevant Provisions in The Arbitration and Reconciliation Act 1986

 

Section 7. Arbitration agreement.

(1) In this Part, "arbitration agreement" means an agreement by the parties to submit to arbitration all or certain disputes which have arisen or which may arise between them in respect of a defined legal relationship, whether contractual or not.

(2) An arbitration agreement may be in the form of an arbitration clause in a contract or in the form of a separate agreement.

(3) An arbitration agreement shall be in writing.

(4) An arbitration agreement is in writing if it is contained in-

(a) a document signed by the parties;

(b) an exchange of letters, telex, telegrams or other means of telecommunication including communication through electronic means which provide a record of the agreement; or

(c) an exchange of statements of claim and defence in which the existence of the agreement is alleged by one party and not denied by the other.

(5) The reference in a contract to a document containing an arbitration clause constitutes an arbitration agreement if the contract is in writing and the reference is such as to make that arbitration clause part of the contract.

 

Section 10. Number of arbitrators.

(1) The parties are free to determine the number of arbitrators, provided that such number shall not be an even number.

(2) Failing the determination referred to in sub-section (1), the arbitral tribunal shall consist of a sole arbitrator.

 

Section 11. Appointment of arbitrators.

(1) A person of any nationality may be an arbitrator, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

(2) Subject to sub-section (6), the parties are free to agree on a procedure for appointing the arbitrator or arbitrators.

(3) Failing any agreement referred to in sub-section (2), in an arbitration with three arbitrators, each party shall appoint one arbitrator, and the two appointed arbitrators shall appoint the third arbitrator who shall act as the presiding arbitrator.

(4) If the appointment procedure in sub-section (3) applies and-

(a) a party fails to appoint an arbitrator within thirty days from the receipt of a request to do so from the other party; or

(b) the two appointed arbitrators fail to agree on the third arbitrator within thirty days from the date of their appointment, the appointment shall be made, upon request of a party, by the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court or any person or institution designated by such Court;

(5) Failing any agreement referred to in sub-section (2), in an arbitration with a sole arbitrator, if the parties fail to agree on the arbitrator within thirty days from receipt of a request by one party from the other party to so agree the appointment shall be made, upon request of a party, by the Supreme Court or,

as the case may be, the High Court or any person or institution designated by such Court.

(6) Where, under an appointment procedure agreed upon by the parties,-

(a) a party fails to act as required under that procedure; or

(b) the parties, or the two appointed arbitrators, fail to reach an agreement expected of them under that procedure; or

(c) a person, including an institution, fails to perform any function entrusted to him or it under that procedure, a party may request the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court or any person or institution designated by such Court to take the necessary measure, unless the agreement on the appointment procedure provides other means for securing the appointment.

(6A) The Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court, while considering any application under sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or sub-section (6), shall, notwithstanding any judgment, decree or order of any Court, confine to the examination of the existence of an arbitration agreement.

(6B) The designation of any person or institution by the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court, for the purposes of this section shall not be regarded as a delegation of judicial power by the Supreme Court or the High Court.

(7) A decision on a matter entrusted by sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or sub-section (6) to 3 the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court or the person or institution designated by such Court is final and no appeal including Letters Patent Appeal shall lie against such decision.

(8) The Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court or the person or institution designated by such Court, before appointing an arbitrator, shall seek a disclosure in writing from the prospective arbitrator in terms of sub-section (1) of section 12, and have due regard to-

(a) any qualifications required for the arbitrator by the agreement of the parties; and

(b) the contents of the disclosure and other considerations as are likely to secure the appointment of an independent and impartial arbitrator.

(9) In the case of appointment of sole or third arbitrator in an international commercial arbitration, the Supreme Court or the person or institution designated by that Court may appoint an arbitrator of a nationality other than the nationalities of the parties where the parties belong to different nationalities.

(10) The Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court, may make such scheme as the said Court may deem appropriate for dealing with matters entrusted by sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or

sub-section (6), to it.

(11) Where more than one request has been made under sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or sub-section (6) to the Chief Justices of different High Courts or their designates, different High Courts or their designates, the High Court or its designate to whom the request has been first made under the relevant sub-section shall alone be competent to decide on the request.

(12) (a) Where the matters referred to in sub-sections (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) and sub-section (10) arise in an international commercial arbitration, the reference to the "Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court" in those sub-sections shall be construed as a reference to the "Supreme Court"; and

(b) Where the matters referred to in sub-sections (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) and sub-section (10) arise in any other arbitration, the reference to "the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court" in those sub-sections shall be construed as a reference to the "High Court" within whose local limits the principal Civil Court referred to in clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 2 is situate, and where the High Court itself is the Court referred to in that clause, to that High Court.

(13) An application made under this section for appointment of an arbitrator or arbitrators shall be disposed of by the Supreme Court or the High Court or the person or institution designated by such Court, as the case may be, as expeditiously as possible and an endeavour shall be made to dispose of the matter within a period of sixty days from the date of service of notice on the opposite party.

(14) For the purpose of determination of the fees of the arbitral tribunal and the manner of its payment to the arbitral tribunal, the High Court may frame such rules as may be necessary, after taking into consideration the rates specified in the Fourth Schedule.

Explanation.-For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that this sub-section shall not apply to international commercial arbitration and in arbitrations (other than international commercial arbitration) in case where parties have agreed for determination of fees as per the rules of an arbitral institution.