Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited vs Pramod Bijoykumar Nayak — Arbitration | Bombay HC (2025)

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited vs Pramod Bijoykumar Nayak — Arbitration | Bombay HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Conditional stay of execution of the Arbitral Award: subject to the amount awarded, including interest computed until August 12, 2025, being deposited with the Registry of the Court within two weeks of upload of the order; the Interim Application was thereby finally disposed of. The Section 34 Arbitration Petition itself remains live and stands over to September 18, 2025 for Final Hearing, with oral arguments capped at 10 minutes per side and a five-page Note on Submissions to be filed.

Issue for consideration

Whether execution of the Arbitral Award should be stayed, and on what condition - namely deposit of the amount awarded, including interest computed until August 12, 2025, with the Registry of the Court within two weeks of upload of the order. +1 more

Court's answer

Execution of the Arbitral Award shall remain stayed, subject to the amount awarded, including interest computed until August 12, 2025, being deposited with the Registry of the Court within two weeks of upload of the order.

Ratio / Principle

The Interim Application (L) No.18742 of 2024 is finally disposed of.

Key takeaways

Oral arguments in the Section 34 petition are capped at not more than 10 minutes per side, and the time commitments so made bind the parties.ratio¶22
Each party is to file a short Note on Submissions not exceeding five pages, along with page and case law references.ratio¶23
The Arbitration Petition stands over to September 18, 2025 for 'Final Hearing-Section 34'.ratio

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Judicature at Bombay (Ordinary Original Civil Jurisdiction), Somasekhar Sundaresan, J., August 12, 2025 - Interim Application (L) No.18742 of 2024 in Arbitration Petition (L) No.17993 of 2024 (Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, Applicant versus Pramod Bijoykumar Nayak, Respondent). Execution of the Arbitral Award was stayed, subject to the amount awarded, including interest computed until August 12, 2025, being deposited with the Registry of the Court within two weeks of upload of the order; the Interim Application was finally disposed of. In the companion petition filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, Learned Counsel for both sides agreed to limit verbal arguments to not more than 10 minutes each, supported by a Note on Submissions not exceeding five pages with page and case law references, the remaining contentions in the Note to be dealt with by the Court; the petition stands over to September 18, 2025 for 'Final Hearing-Section 34'. No precedent is cited in the order and the quantum of the award is not stated.

12.IAL.18742.2024.doc

IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY

ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION

INTERIM APPLICATION (L) NO.18742 OF 2024 IN ARBITRATION PETITION (L) NO.17993 OF 2024

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited ….Applicant Versus

Pramod Bijoykumar Nayak ....Respondent

Mr. S.R. Page a/w. Eesha Jaifalkar, Advocate for Applicant.

Mr. Digvijay S. Kachare i/b. Desai Legal LLP, Advocate for Respondent.

CORAM: SOMASEKHAR SUNDARESAN, J.

DATE : AUGUST 12, 2025

ORDER :

INTERIM APPLICATION (L) NO.18742 OF 2024

Subject to the amount awarded, including interest computed

until today i.e. August 12, 2025 being deposited with the Registry of this Court within a period of two weeks from the upload of this order, execution of the Arbitral Award shall remain stayed.

The Interim Application is hereby finally disposed of .

Digitally signed by AARTI AARTIGAJANAN GAJANAN PALKAR PALKAR Date:2025.08.18 15:19:03 +0530

Aarti Palkar

Page 1 of 3 AUGUST 12, 2025

12.IAL.18742.2024.doc

ARBITRATION PETITION (L) NO.17993 OF 2024

This is a Petition filed under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (“ the Act ”).

Heard Learned Counsel for the parties for an overview of the matter. Based on the nature of the issues involved and bearing in mind the scope of jurisdiction under Section 34 of the Act, Learned Counsel have graciously agreed that both the Petitioner and Respondent shall take not more than 10 minutes each for verbal arguments in the matter.

Towards this end, the parties shall file a short Note on Submissions, not exceeding five pages, along with page and case law references, setting out the manner in which the points canvassed by them ought to be accepted by this Court.

It is made clear that the time commitments made above shall bind the parties, and such time shall be utilized at the discretion of the Learned Counsel for verbalizing the pivotal submissions, resting assured that the rest of their contentions from their Note on Submissions, would be dealt with by the Court.

With the aforesaid commitments, stand over to September 18, 2025 , for “Final Hearing- Section 34” .

Page 2 of 3 AUGUST 12, 2025

Aarti Palkar

12.IAL.18742.2024.doc

All actions required to be taken pursuant to this order, shall be

taken upon receipt of a downloaded copy as available on this Court’s website.

[ SOMASEKHAR SUNDARESAN, J.]

Page 3 of 3 AUGUST 12, 2025

Aarti Palkar