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Cutting Edge Digital Pvt. Ltd. v. ONE7 Sports Tech Pvt. Ltd.

Delhi HC14 Oct 2025ARB.P./1294/2025

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

Delhi High Court ARB.P. 1294/2025 Amit Bansal 14.10.2025 Section 11(6) arbitration appointment Cutting Edge Digital One7 Sports Tech Service Agreement 02.12.2024 OTT platform Clause 14 Section 21 notice 13.06.2025 unanswered mediation DHCMCC 29.10.2025 conclude 28.12.2025 Sole Arbitrator Prateek Kumar Section 12 declaration Schedule IV remuneration claims counterclaims left open petition disposed consent.

What did the court decide?

Appointment of Mr. Prateek Kumar, Advocate as Sole Arbitrator, with referral of the dispute to the Arbitral Tribunal deferred pending mediation at the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre (listing 29 October 2025; mediation to conclude by 28 December 2025; arbitration to commence if mediation fails); all claims and counterclaims left open. ¶36

Cutting Edge Digital Pvt. Ltd. Vs ONE7 Sports Tech Pvt. Ltd. — Arbitration | Delhi HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

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Issue for consideration

Whether a Sole Arbitrator should be appointed under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 to adjudicate disputes arising out of the Service Agreement dated 2 December 2024, following respondent's non-response to the petitioner's Section 21 notice. +1 more

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Court's answer

Mr. Prateek Kumar, Advocate, is appointed as a Sole Arbitrator to adjudicate the disputes between the parties.

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Ratio / Principle

It is admitted by the parties that a valid arbitration clause exists in the Agreement; accordingly, the Court referred the dispute between the parties under the Agreement to an Arbitral Tribunal comprising a Sole Arbitrator.

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Key takeaways

The Arbitrator is requested to furnish a declaration in terms of Section 12 of the Act prior to entering upon the reference.ratio¶31
The remuneration of the Arbitrator shall be fixed in accordance with Schedule IV of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.ratio¶32
With the consent of the parties, the matter was first referred for mediation to the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre before commencement of arbitration.ratio

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

High Court of Delhi (Amit Bansal, J.) — ARB.P. 1294/2025, disposed of 14 October 2025. Section 11(6) petition by Cutting Edge Digital Pvt. Ltd. against One7 Sports Tech Pvt. Ltd. seeking appointment of a Sole Arbitrator for disputes under a Service Agreement dated 2 December 2024 (digital platform/OTT website and applications development), arising from respondent's failure to make full payment of the invoiced amount; petitioner's Section 21 notice of 13 June 2025 went unanswered. Clause 14 arbitration agreement was not disputed by respondent counsel and admitted by both sides. With consent, the matter was referred to the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre (listing 29 October 2025, 3:00 P.M.; mediation to conclude by 28 December 2025). Mr. Prateek Kumar, Advocate was appointed Sole Arbitrator, to furnish a Section 12 declaration before entering the reference, remuneration per Schedule IV; parties to report mediation status in the second week of January 2026, failing success by 28 December 2025 arbitration to commence; all claims and counterclaims left open.

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$~5

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

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- ARB.P. 1294/2025

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CUTTING EDGE DIGITAL PVT. LTD. .....Petitioner Through: Ms. Ridhi Kapoor, Advocate.

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versus

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ONE7 SPORTS TECH PVT. LTD. .....Respondent Through: Ms. Apoorva Thakral, Advocate.

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CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT BANSAL

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O R D E R % 14.10.2025

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The present petition has been filed under Section 11 (6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (hereinafter 'Act'), seeking appointment of a Sole Arbitrator for the adjudication of the disputes between the parties arising out of a Service Agreement dated 2^nd December, 2024 (hereinafter ‘Agreement’), entered into between the parties.

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In terms of the aforesaid Agreement, the petitioner was engaged by the respondent to design, develop, and maintain a digital platform, OTT website and applications under the respondent's brand name.

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The Agreement contains an arbitration clause, i.e. Clause 14. The said Clause is set out below:

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“Governing Law and Jurisdiction

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This Agreement shall be construed and interpreted in accordance with the laws of India, the courts at New Delh i only shall have the exclusive jurisdiction in respect of any

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ARB.P. 1294/2025

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This is a digitally signed order. The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above. The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/10/2025 at 12:41:23

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matter or dispute connected with this Agreement. In case attempt to bring about an amicable settlement fails, the dispute shall be resolved by binding arbitration in accordance with the provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 under the aegis of a single arbitrator jointly appointed by the Parties.”

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Since the respondent has failed to make full payment of the invoiced amount, the petitioner issued a notice invoking the aforesaid arbitration clause under Section 21 of the Act on 13^th June, 2025.

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However, the respondent failed to respond to the aforesaid notice. Hence, the petitioner has been constrained to approach this Court by way of the present petition.

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Notice in the present petition was issued on 25^th August, 2025.

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Counsel enters appearance on behalf of the respondent and does not dispute the existence of the arbitration clause.

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In this view of the aforesaid position, it has been put to the counsel for the parties if the matter may be referred for mediation. 9. Both parties are willing to consider mediation and state that the present petition may be disposed of with a reference to the Arbitral Tribunal comprising a Sole Arbitrator, albeit with the appointment of a Sole Arbitrator being deferred by eight (8) weeks.

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Accordingly, with the consent of the parties, the matter is referred for mediation to the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre (‘Mediation Centre’).

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List before the Mediation Centre on 29^th October, 2025, at 3:00 P.M.

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In the facts of the present case, it is admitted by the parties that there

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ARB.P. 1294/2025

exists a valid arbitration clause in the Agreement and thus the dispute between the parties under the Agreement is referred to the Arbitral Tribunal comprising a Sole Arbitrator. The following directions are issued in this regard:

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a) Mr. Prateek Kumar, Advocate (Mobile No.: +91-9818451124) is appointed as a Sole Arbitrator to adjudicate the disputes between the parties.

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b) The Arbitrator is requested to furnish a declaration in terms of Section 12 of the Act prior to entering into the reference.

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c) The remuneration of the Arbitrator shall be in terms of Schedule IV of the Act.

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The parties and the Mediator are directed to conclude the mediation proceedings before 28^th December, 2025.

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The parties shall approach the Arbitrator in the second week of January 2026 to apprise the Sole Arbitrator of the status of the mediation proceedings. In the event the mediation proceedings between the parties are not successful by 28^th December, 2025, the Sole Arbitrator shall commence the arbitration proceedings.

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Needless to state, all pleas of the parties qua claims and counterclaims are left open and shall be considered in the arbitration proceedings.

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With the aforesaid directions, the petition stands disposed of.

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A copy of this order be sent to the Organising Secretary of the Mediation Centre for information and compliance.

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The digitally signed copy of this order, duly uploaded on the official website of the High Court of Delhi, www.delhihighcourt.nic.in , shall be treated as a certified copy of the order for the purpose of ensuring

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ARB.P. 1294/2025

compliance. No physical copy of the order passed today shall be insisted for by any authority/entity or litigant.

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AMIT BANSAL, J

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OCTOBER 14, 2025

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