Judgment

Mrs. Sujata V. Manohar, J.-Leave granted.

2. The appellant-Food Corporation of India entered into a charter party agreement with the respondent for transport of rice from Bangkok to Paradeep Port in Orissa. The charter party was signed at Delhi where the principal office of the appellant is situated, on 30.9.1988.

3. Under the charter party agreement cargo was brought and discharged at Paradeep Port in the State of Orissa. In respect of the cargo so discharged there were disputes and differences between the parties regarding freight and demurrage charges. Since the charter party agreement contained an arbitration clause, the parties referred the disputes to arbitration. The arbitration took place in Bombay. Arbi­trators gave their award and filed it in the Bombay High Court.

4. It is contended before us by the appellant that the Bombay High Court had no jurisdiction to take the award on file or to issue any process in connection with it. The High Court in the impugned judg­ment, has upheld the jurisdiction of the Bombay High Court on the ground that the appellant who is in the position of a defendant, has one of its place of business at Bombay.

5. Under Section 2(c) of the Arbi