OD-1 & 2 IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA CIVIL APPELLATE DIVISION ORIGINAL SIDE APO/48/2021 WITH AP/590/2011 STARLIFT SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED VS SYAMA PRASAD MOOKERJEE PORT, KOLKATA AND APO/141/2023 WITH AP/915/2011 STATE OF WEST BENGAL VS RAJPATH CONTRACTORS AND ENGINEERS LTD AND ANR.

BEFORE:

The Hon’ble JUSTICE DEBANGSU BASAK -AND-

The Hon’ble JUSTICE MD. SHABBAR RASHIDI For the Appellant : Mr. Sabyasachi Choudhury, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Rajarshi Dutta, Adv. Mr. Soorjya Ganguli, Adv.

Mr. Shounak Mukhopadhyay, Adv.

Ms. Arti Bhattacharyya, Adv.

...in APO/48/2021.

Mr. Suman Kr. Dutt, Sr. Adv.

Ms. Noelle Banerjee, Adv.

Ms. Nilanjana Adhya, Adv.

Mr. Paritosh Sinha, Adv.

Mr. Arindam Mandal, Adv. Ms. Swagata Ghosh, Adv.

...in APO/141/2023 For the Respondent : Mr. Tilak Kr. Bose, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Ashok Kr. Jena, Adv.

...in APO/48/2021 Mr. Sakya Sen, Sr. Adv.

Mr. Priyankar Saha, Adv.

Ms. Srijani Mukherjee, Adv.

...in APO/141/2023 HEARD ON : April 9, 2026 DELIVERED ON : April 9, 2026 DEBANGSU BASAK, J.:-

Contents Scope of the Appeals .................................................................................... 3 Contentions of the Appellant in First Appeal ................................................. 4 Contentions of the Respondent in First Appeal ............................................. 5 Contentions of the Appellant in Second Appeal ............................................. 7 Contentions of the Respondent in Second Appeal ......................................... 9 Analysis .................................................................................................... 11 Nature of Proceedings ............................................................................. 11 Transfer architecture under Section 15 ................................................... 12 Jurisdiction of Commercial Division ........................................................ 12 Loss of jurisdiction of non-commercial division Courts to hear matters involving commercial disputes of Specified Value ..................................... 14 Specified Value ....................................................................................... 15 Practice Directions 2021 ......................................................................... 15 Objections as to Jurisdiction .................................................................. 19 Validity of the orders passed by the transferee Court ............................... 22 Answer to Issue (i) ..................................................................................... 26 Answer to Issue (ii) .................................................................................... 26 Answer to Issue (iii) ................................................................................... 26 Answer to Issue (iv) ................................................................................... 27 Conclusion ................................................................................................ 27 Scope of the Appeals

1. Two appeals under Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 are taken up for analogous hearing as some of the issues involved are same.

2. For the sake of convenience the two appeals are referred to as first and second in accordance with the time that they were filed. The impugned judgments and orders in both the appeals emanated from proceeding filed under Section 34 of the Act of 1996 prior to the Act of 2015 coming into force. The two proceedings under Section 34 of the Act of 1996 were pending on the Constitution of the Commercial Division by the High Court. Neither the registry of the High Court nor the parties caused transfer of the two proceedings to the Commercial Division.

3. APO 48 of 2021 (first appeal) is directed against the judgment and order dated December 24, 2020 passed in AP 590 of 2011. By the impugned judgment and order, learned Single Judge allowed the application under Section 34 of the Act of

1996 and set aside the award dated April 18, 2011.

4.