JUDGMENT

Prateek Jalan, J. - This petition under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 [hereinafter, "the Act"] has been filed by Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad, seeking setting aside of an award dated 26.12.2008 [hereinafter, "the award"]. The impugned award was rendered by a sole arbitrator in favour of the respondent herein, M/s Design Team, under a contract dated 17.01.1991.

A. FACTS

2. The Salar Jung Museum of Hyderabad [hereinafter, "the Museum"] houses a significant collection of art and other objects. In approximately the year 1989, it decided to open additional buildings in the eastern and western blocks of the Museum, and organized a national level open architectural competition for this purpose. M/s Design Team, a firm of architects from New Delhi [hereinafter, "the Architects"], participated in this competition and submitted designs, models, and rough cost estimates by way of a project report. Its entry was declared the winner of the competition. The Museum and the Architects thus entered into a contract dated 17.01.1991 at Andhra Pradesh Bhawan, New Delhi, for designing, making detailed architectural drawings, and supervision of construction of addition