Axis Bank Limited v. Ali Mehdi Sharihul Riz
Case brief
What is this about?
Unilateral appointment of sole arbitrator; arbitral awards set aside; Commercial Execution Applications dismissed/disposed; Bhadra International (India) Pvt. Ltd. and Others v. Airports Authority of India, 2026 SCC Online SC 7; unilateral appointment void ab initio; ineligibility raisable even in execution; Section 12(5) Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 waiver/proviso; limitation exclusion from invocation; fresh arbitration permitted; Bombay High Court OOCJ; Abhay Ahuja J.; 18th April 2026; batch order Serial Nos. 901-905, 907-997, 999-1094, 1096-1100, 1103-1122, 1142-1152.
What did the court decide?
Respective arbitral awards set aside; Commercial Execution Applications, connected Interim Applications and Chamber Summons dismissed/disposed; parties open to initiate fresh arbitration proceedings; period from invocation of arbitration till the date of this order excluded for limitation; liberty to apply where an express written waiver under the proviso to Section 12(5) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 exists.