Orissa High Court: A petition was filed before Dr A.K. Rath, J., challenging the order passed in an Arbitration Proceeding, whereby the application filed by the petitioner-respondent under Section 27 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to accord approval to the respondent to apply to the court for assistance in taking evidence was rejected.
The facts of the case were that the petitioner had issued notice inviting tender for electrical works for an Alumina Refinery. The bid of the opposite party was accepted. An agreement was entered into between the parties, in furtherance of which the petitioner filed an application under Section 27 of the Act to accord approval of the Tribunal to apply to the Court for assistance in taking evidence of the then Manager (material), who had lodged the claim before the Insurance Company for loss of property by theft. He had expressed his inability to examine in the proceeding unless he received notice from the Tribunal. The Tribunal rejected the petition holding that at an earlier occasion, the examination and non-availability of the concerned witness was not indicated. Despite the opportunity, the affidavit evidence was not filed. Himanshu Sekhar Mishra, Advocate for the opposite party submitted that the petitioner had not assigned any reason as to how the examination of the concerned witness was essential for adjudication of the case and thus the petition should be dismissed.
The Court held that merely because, the petitioner had filed the list of witnesses, the same did not preclude the Arbitral Tribunal to accord approval for taking evidence under Section 27 of the Act if the party assigned sufficient reasons. In the application under Section 27 of the Act, the petitioner had clearly mentioned the reasons for according approval of the Tribunal to apply to the Court for assistance in taking evidence of the concerned witness. The petition was thus allowed. [National Aluminium Company Ltd. v. Indo Power Projects Ltd., 2019 SCC OnLine Ori 197, decided on 01-05-2019]
