The referral court's role under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act is limited to the prima facie existence of an arbitration agreement; issues regarding the seat, venue, and limitation are primarily for the arbitral tribunal to decide.

JUDGEMENT (ORAL)

1. The present Petition has been filed under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, seeking the appointment of an Arbitrator to adjudicate the disputes inter se the parties arising out of the Contract dated 20.01.2017, Contract executed between the parties.

2. The Dispute Resolution Clause, being Clause 9.2 of the Special Conditions of Contract, reads as under:

“9.2 Disputes shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the following provisions:

9.2.1 Selection of Arbitrators

Each dispute submitted by a Party to arbitration shall be heard by a sole arbitrator or an arbitration panel composed of three arbitrators, in accordance with the following provisions:

(a) Where the Parties agree that the dispute concerns a technical matter, they may agree to appoint a sole arbitrator or, failing agreement on the identity of such sole arbitrator within thirty (30) days after receipt by the other Party of the proposal of a name for such an appointment by the Party who initiated the proceedings, either Party may apply to the President, Indian Roads Congress, New Delhi, for a list of not fewer than five nominees and, on receipt of such list, the Parties shall alternately strike names therefrom, and the last remaining nominee on the list shall be the sole arbitrator for the matter in dispute. If the last remaining nominee has not been determined in this manner within sixty (60) days of the date of the list, the president, Indian Roads Congress, New Delhi, shall appoint, upon the request of either Party and from such list or otherwise, a sole arbitrator for the matter in dispute.

(b) Where the Parties do not agree that the dispute concerns a technical matter, the Client and the Consultants shall each appoint one arbitrator, and these two arbitrators shall jointly appoint a third arbitrator, who shall chair the arbitration panel. If the arbitrators named by the Parties do not succeed in appointing a third arbitrator within thirty (30) days after the later of the two arbitrators named by the Parties has been appointed, the third arbitrator shall, at the request of either Party, be appointed by Secretary, the Indian Council of Arbitration, New Delhi.

(c) If, in a dispute subject to Clause SC 9.2.1 (b), one Party fails to appoint its arbitrator within thirty (30) days after the other Party has appointed its arbitrator, the Party which has named an arbitrator may apply to the Secretary, Indian Council of Arbitration, New Delhi, to appoint a sole arbitrator for the matter in dispute, and the arbitrator appointed pursuant to such application shall be the sole arbitrator for that dispute.

9.2.2 Rules of Procedure

Arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with procedures of the Arbitration & Conciliation Act, 1996, of India, unless the Consultant is a foreign national/firm, where arbitration proceedings shall be conducted in accordance with the rules of procedure for arbitration of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) as in force on the date of this Contract.

9.2.3 Substitute Arbitrators

If for any reason an arbitrator is unable to perform his function, a substitute shall be appointed in the same manner as the original arbitrator.

9.2.4 Qualifications of Arbitrators

The sole arbitrator or the third arbitrator appointed pursuant to paragraphs (a) through (c) of Clause 8.2.1 hereof shall be an internationally recognized legal or technical expert with extensive experience in relation to the matter in dispute.

9.2.5 Miscellaneous

In any arbitration proceeding hereunder:

(a) Proceedings shall, unless otherwise agreed by the Parties, be held in DELHI

(b) the English language shall be the official language for all purposes; and [Note: English language may be changed to any other Language, with the agreement of both the Parties.]

(c) the decision of the sole arbitrator or of a majority of the arbitrators (or of the third arbitrator if there is no such majority)