G.M.AKBAR ALI, J.

The appeals are filed against the common order made in Original Petition Nos.584, 626, 627and 628 of 1999 dated 26. 2006 passed by the learned single Judge of this Court.

2. The above four appeals are preferred by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, Chennai (hereinafter called as “Board”), who was the petitioner before the learned single Judge. The Board filed four original petitions seeking to set aside the award passed by the Arbitrators under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act “). The 1st respondent in O.S.A. No. 7 of 2007 was the claimant/contractor before the Arbitrator. The 1st respondent in O.S.A Nos.8 to 10 was another claimant/contractor before the Arbitrator. In all the above four appeals, common set of question of law arises and therefore, we are deciding all the appeals under a common judgment.

.3. The Board had entered in to four independent contracts with the claimants between 1990-1992 in respect of four different works; After completion of works, disputes arose and the claimants filed original petitions before the Court for appointment of arbitrators for resolving the