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2017 Supreme(Raj) 2677

RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT (JAIPUR BENCH)
Mohammad Rafiq, J.
Smt. Anjana Badera - Appellant
Versus
M/s. Vishal Farms - Respondent
Civil Arbitration Application No. 50 of 2016
Decided On : 23-11-2017

Advocates Appeared:
Mr. Ashok Mehta, Senior Counsel assisted by Mr. Mudit Singhvi, Advocate, for the Appellant; Mr. Rajeev Surana with Ms. Vasudha, Advocates, for the Respondent

Headnote:

Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 - Sections 11 and 11(6) - Indian Evidence Act, 1872 - Sections 92, 91 - Partnership Act section 63 - Sale-deed - Mutual rights and obligations – Partnership firm - Sought to be resurrected - Partnership firm in the name of was constituted with petitioner and respondent as partners, for purpose of agriculture and related activities - Investment and profit & loss sharing between the partners was in the ratio of respectively. Both the partners invested the capital in the firm in order to purchase an agriculture land on measuring 6.38 hectare Mali in the name of the firm - Owing to mistake of non addition of land bearing khasra no. 1074 measuring 0.83 hectare in sale-deed an amendment was made and same was executed and registered said property was entered in the revenue records in the name of Farms through both the partners - Petitioner had 40% stake - Since accounts of the firm were not being maintained properly, a dispute arose between the partners and the petitioner decided to retire from the firm – Held, Whether (1) he has jurisdiction, (2) there is a valid arbitration agreement in terms of Section 7, (3) person before him with the request, is a party to the arbitration agreement, and (4) there is a dispute/live claim subsisting is capable of being arbitrated upon - Chief Justice or his designate has to also decide - Whether is a dispute or live claim under the purview of arbitration agreement or it should be left to be decided by arbitral tribunal on taking evidence, along with merits of the claims involved - Clearly - Chief Justice or his designate can also decide question whether claim was a dead one or a long barred claim that was sought to be resurrected - Whether the parties have concluded transaction by recording satisfaction of their mutual rights and obligations or by receiving final payment without objection - Court while dealing with an application under Section 11 of the Act of 1996 can certainly decide at least for the limited purpose of appointing Arbitrator and referring the dispute to him whether the parties have concluded transaction by recording satisfaction of their mutual rights and obligations or by receiving final payment without objection - Any observation made in this order should therefore be understood only in that perspective and not otherwise - Present application therefore deserves to be dismissed and it dismissed – Application is dismissed

JUDGMENT

Mohammad Rafiq, J. - This application under section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 has been filed by Smt. Anjana Badera, praying for appointment of independent Arbitrator on behalf of the respondents so that the already appointed Arbitrator on behalf of the petitioner and the Arbitrator so appointed by this court, may constitute a three member arbitration panel by selecting third independent Member/Umpire and praying in alternative that this Court may appoint third independent Member/Umpire in accordance with the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. Further prayer is made that this court may appoint or constitute a single Member arbitral tribunal either consisting of the member suggested by the petitioner or any other independent arbitrator as this court deems fit, to resolve the dispute between the petitioner and the respondents.

2. Facts of the case, as emerging from the pleadings of the parties, are that a partnership firm in the name of M/s. Vishal Farms, was constituted on 23.11.2004 with petitioner Smt. Anjana Badera and respondent Smt. Asha Khandelwal, as partners, for the purpose of agriculture and related activities. The investment and profit & loss sharing between the partners was in the ratio of 40:60, respectively. Both the partners invested the capital in the firm in order to purchase an agriculture land on 03.12.2004 measuring 6.38 hectare from Munni Devi W/o Shri Ramu Mali in the name of the firm. Owing to mistake of nonaddition of land bearing khasra no. 1074 measuring 0.83 hectare in the sale-deed dated 03.12.2004, an amendment was made on 20.12.2004 and same was executed and registered on 20.12.2004. The said property was entered in the revenue records in the name of the Vishal Farms through both the partners, wherein the petitioner had 40% stake. Since accounts of the firm were not being maintained properly, a dispute arose between the partners and the petitioner decided to retire from the firm. As mutually agreed, the petitioner retired with effect from 17.08.2015 and Mr. Om Prakash Khandelwal was inducted as partner. The said retirement was decided to come into effect retrospectively from 17.08.2015 only when the immovable property of the firm was sold within six months and 40% stake of the petitioner was handed over to her or in failure, the property was sold within six months from the proposed date of retirement and the petitioner was paid 40% of market value amount of the property.

3. Mr. Ashok Mehta, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner, has tried to justify this stand of the petitioner by submitting that the petitioner, in view of the cordial relations between the parties, agreed to sign the deed, blank pages and other proforma documents, as required by the respondent no. 1. Since market value of the land acquired vide sale deed dated 20.12.2004 was quite high, both the parties agreed to the proposed retirement from 17.08.2015 but subject to the aforesaid condition. As per agreement between the parties, interim settlement of accounts was made in lieu of which a sum of Rs. 14,96,738/- was transferred by the respondents vide R.T.G.S. as per the book value in the account of the petitioner. This settlement was arrived at as per the balance-sheet dated 01.04.2015. Book value of the assets, which was valued at Rs. 6,33,00,000/-, however, actual market value of the land was estimated at Rs. 20-25 crore. The respondents told the petitioner that for the purpose of sale of the property, if sale deed was registered, she would be required to submit a sum equivalent to capital gain and registration expenses, which were calculated at Rs. 30,05,928/-.

4. Learned senior counsel submitted that as per the revenue records, name of the petitioner still exists as co-owner of the disputed property. Even two electricity connections were in the name of the petitioners and respondent no. 2 jointly till May, 2016 and thereafter, name of the petitioner was removed in a clandestine manner from a

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