JUDGMENT

Prateek Jalan, J. (Oral)--The present petition filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 ["the Act"] is directed against an order dated 04.11.2019, passed by the learned Sole Arbitrator, who is in seisin of disputes between the parties. By the impugned order, the learned arbitrator has rejected an application filed by the petitioner for amendment of the statement of claim.

2. A suit [CS(OS) 2603/2014] was originally filed by the petitioner herein against three defendants, of whom the respondent herein was the principal defendant and the other two defendants were arrayed as proforma defendants. By an order dated 07.11.2016, the suit, alongwith five other suits pending in this Court, were referred to arbitration before a former Judge of this Court. The relevant paragraphs of the order of reference read as follows:

"Learned counsel for the parties submit that the disputes, subject matter of the present six suits, be referred to a Sole Arbitrator. It is also agreed that the parties will place before the learned Arbitrator certified copies of the pleadings filed in the above matters and the documents filed along with the pleadings.

Accordingly, Mr.J