Arbitration Lawyer: An application for arbitrator appointment under Sec 11 is not maintainable in arbitration conducted under National Highways Act, 1956; SC.

Supreme Court of India

Justice Ajay Rastogi, Justice N.V. Ramana and Justice Mohan M. Shantanagoudar

The SC { NATIONAL HIGHWAYS AUTHORITY OF INDIA v. SAYEDABAD TEA COMPANY LTD.  AND ORS. } was considering the question whether the application under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act,   1996 is maintainable in view of Section 3G(5) of the National Highways Act, 1956 which provides   for   appointment   of   an   Arbitrator  by   the   Central Government.

Answering, the said question it was held by the SC that in view of the power being vested exclusively with the Central Government to appoint an Arbitrator under Section 3G(5) of the Act 1956, being a special enactment, the application filed under Section 11(6)  of the   Act   1996   for   appointment   of   an   Arbitrator was not maintainable   and   provisions   of   the   Act,   1996   could   not   be invoked for the purpose. Accordingly, the order of the High Court appointing an arbitrator u/s 11 was set aside by the SC.