JUDGMENT - Dr. CHANDRACHUD D.Y., J.:---Admit. Respondents waive service. By consent taken up for hearing and final disposal forthwith.

2. In these proceedings under section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, an Award of a sole arbitrator, dated 18th December, 2001 is called into question. The sole arbitrator in the present case was the Chief Commercial Manager of the Western Railway. The dispute between the parties related to a contract which had been entered into for the printing and distribution of the All India Railway Time Table---August 1998, in pursuance of a purchase order dated 13th July, 1998. Disputes arose between the parties and these were referred to arbitration. On 7th July, 2000 and on 9th August, 2000, the first respondent sought a reference to arbitration of two claims. The petitioners referred these two claims to arbitration on 8th August, 2001. Before the Arbitral Tribunal, the first respondent raised three claims, two of them being claims in respect of which a reference had been made and an additional claim. The petitioners filed their written statement and at this stage, it would be material to note that no objection was raised before the arbitra

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