JUDGMENT

N J Jamadar, J. - The petitioners/original plaintiffs assail the orders passed by the learned 8th Joint Civil Judge, Senior Division, Aurangabad dated 8th January, 2019, in Special Civil Suit Nos.286 of 2017 and 287 of 2017, whereby the parties to the suits were referred to arbitration by invoking the provisions contained in Section 8 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 [hereinafter referred to as "the Act, 1996" for short].

2. As an identical issue arises for consideration in both the petitions in the light of almost identical facts, these petitions are decided by this common judgment. The facts in Writ Petition No.1977 of 2019 are noted as the facts in the lead petition.

3. The petitioner/plaintiff instituted Special Civil Suit No.286 of 2017 seeking possession of Row House No.16, admeasuring 112.04 sq.mtr. in Hare Rama Hare Krishna Co-operative Housing Society Ltd., Scheme "Blue Bells", situated at Chikalthana Industrial Area, Aurangabad [suit premises] on the premise that the defendant had assigned the suit premises by executing registered "agreement to assign/transfer" dated 14th March, 2016 for a valuable consideration of Rs.38,89,501/-. The plaintiff averred