JUDGMENT

KURIAN, J.:

Leave granted.

2. Once a judicial authority takes a decision under Section 8(1) of The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) declining to refer the dispute pending before it to arbitration and the said decision having become final, whether either party to the proceedings can thereafter invoke the jurisdiction of the Chief Justice under Section 11(6) of the Act, is the question arising for consideration in this case. The scope of Section 8(3) of the Act is also an ancillary issue.

3. Appellants are defendant nos. 1, 2, 3 in Special Suit No. 211 of 2009 on the file of Civil Judge Senior Division at Aurangabad, Maharashtra. The suit is filed by a partnership firm, viz., M/s. Rana Sahebram Mannulal and three others. The dispute mainly pertains to the partnership business. Following are the reliefs claimed:

“A) The special civil suit of the plaintiffs may kindly be decreed with costs;

B) The plaintiffs may kindly be declared as valid partners of the registered partnership firm under the name and style M/s S.M. Rana (Rana Sahebram Mannulal) and further it also may kindly be declared that, the plaintiffs are the owners and possesso