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1992 Supreme(Del) 81

High Court Of Delhi
A.V.N.TUBES LIMITED - Appellant
Versus
BHARATIA CUTLER HAMMER LIMITED - Respondent
First Appeal (OS) 177 of 199
Decided On : 02/07/1992

Advocates Appeared:
Kumkum Sen, Rajesh Banati, S.K.Sharma

The main legal point established is that a unilateral arbitration clause is not enforceable in a Court of law.

Headnote:

arbitration clause - unilateral agreement - The arbitration clause in the contract allowed only one party to go for arbitration, give notice, and appoint an arbitrator, making it a unilateral agreement.

Fact of the Case:

The arbitration clause in the contract allowed only one party to go for arbitration, give notice, and appoint an arbitrator, making it a unilateral agreement.

Finding of the Court:

The court found that the arbitration clause was clearly unilateral and not enforceable in a Court of law.

Issues: The issue was whether the arbitration clause in the contract was enforceable.

Ratio Decidendi: The court held that the arbitration clause, which allowed only one party to go for arbitration, give notice, and appoint an arbitrator, was a unilateral agreement and not enforceable.

Final Decision: The petition was allowed, and the arbitration clause was dismissed as it was found to be a unilateral agreement and not enforceable.

Gokal Chand Mital

( 1 ) THE arbitration clause is as follows :

"without prejudice to the above Clause 17, of the Contract the Company, M/s. AVN Tubes Limited, reserves its right to go in for arbitration, if any dispute so arisen is not mutually settled within 3 months of such notice given by the Company to the Contractor. And, the award of the Arbitrator, to be appointed by the Company, M/s. AVN Tubes Limited, shall be final and binding on both the Company and the Contractor. "

( 2 ) A reading of the aforesaid arbitration clause clearly shows that M/s. AVN Tubes Limited alone has been given the right to go in for arbitration. Not only this, the aforesaid course has to be followed only at the instance of the company by giving three months notice if the dispute is not mutually settled between the parties; and thirdly, the right to appoint an arbitrator has been given only to M/s. AVN Tubes Limited and the decision of the Arbitrator of M/s. AVN Tubes Ltd. is to be considered final and binding on both the parties.

( 3 ) THE cumulative effect of all the three clauses is that it is unilateral agreement. In case any one of the clauses alone had been there, that by itself may not have made the agreement unilateral.

( 4 ) WE are in agreement with the learned Single Judge that the aforesaid agreement is clearly unilateral and not enforceable in a Court of law. Dismissed. Petition allowed.

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