10. Number of arbitrators.—(1) The parties are free to determine the number of arbitrators,
provided that such number shall not be an even number.
(2) Failing the determination referred to in sub-section (1), the arbitral tribunal shall consist of a sole
arbitrator.
11. Appointment of arbitrators.—(1) A person of any nationality may be an arbitrator, unless
otherwise agreed by the parties.
(2) Subject to sub-section (6), the parties are free to agree on a procedure for appointing the arbitrator
or arbitrators.
(3) Failing any agreement referred to in sub-section (2), in an arbitration with three arbitrators, each
party shall appoint one arbitrator, and the two appointed arbitrators shall appoint the third arbitrator who
shall act as the presiding arbitrator.
(4) If the appointment procedure in sub-section (3) applies and—
(a) a party fails to appoint an arbitrator within thirty days from the receipt of a request to do so
from the other party; or
1. Section 9 shall be renumbered as sub-section (1) thereof by s. 5, Act 3 of 2016 (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
2. Ins. by s. 5, ibid. (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
11
(b) the two appointed arbitrators fail to agree on the third arbitrator within thirty days from the
date of their appointment,
the appointment shall be made, upon request of a party, by 1
[the Supreme Court or, as the case may be,
the High Court or any person or institution designated by such Court];
(5) Failing any agreement referred to in sub-section (2), in an arbitration with a sole arbitrator, if the
parties fail to agree on the arbitrator within thirty days from receipt of a request by one party from the
other party to so agree the appointment shall be made, upon request of a party, by 1
[the Supreme Court or,
as the case may be, the High Court or any person or institution designated by such Court].
(6) Where, under an appointment procedure agreed upon by the parties,—
(a) a party fails to act as required under that procedure; or
(b) the parties, or the two appointed arbitrators, fail to reach an agreement expected of them under
that procedure; or
(c) a person, including an institution, fails to perform any function entrusted to him or it under
that procedure,
a party may request 1
[the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court or any person or
institution designated by such Court]to take the necessary measure, unless the agreement on the
appointment procedure provides other means for securing the appointment.
2
[(6A) The Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court, while considering any application
under sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or sub-section (6), shall, notwithstanding any judgment, decree or
order of any Court, confine to the examination of the existence of an arbitration agreement.
(6B) The designation of any person or institution by the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the
High Court, for the purposes of this section shall not be regarded as a delegation of judicial power by the
Supreme Court or the High Court.]
(7) A decision on a matter entrusted by sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or sub-section (6) to 3
[the
Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court or the person or institution designated by such
Court is final and no appeal including Letters Patent Appeal shall lie against such decision].
4
[(8) The Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court or the person or institution designated
by such Court, before appointing an arbitrator, shall seek a disclosure in writing from the prospective
arbitrator in terms of sub-section (1) of section 12, and have due regard to—
(a) any qualifications required for the arbitrator by the agreement of the parties; and
(b) the contents of the disclosure and other considerations as are likely to secure the appointment
of an independent and impartial arbitrator.]
(9) In the case of appointment of sole or third arbitrator in an international commercial arbitration,
5
[the Supreme Court or the person or institution designated by that Court] may appoint an arbitrator of a
nationality other than the nationalities of the parties where the parties belong to different nationalities.
6
[(10) The Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court, may make such scheme as the said
Court may deem appropriate for dealing with matters entrusted by sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or
sub-section (6), to it.]
(11) Where more than one request has been made under sub-section (4) or sub-section (5) or
sub-section (6) to the Chief Justices of different High Courts or their designates, 7
[different High Courts
1. Subs. by Act 3 of 2016, s. 6, for “the Chief Justice or any person or institution designated by him” (w. e. f. 23-10-2015).
2. Ins. by s. 6, ibid. (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
3. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for “the Chief Justice or the person or institution designated by him is final” (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
4. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for sub-section (8) (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
5. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for “the Chief Justice of India of India or the person or institution designated by him” (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
6. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for sub-section (10) (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
7. Subs. by s. 6, ibid., for “the Chief Justices of different High Courts or their designates, the Chief Justice or his designate to
whom the request has been first made” (w.e.f 23-10-2015).
12
or their designates, the High Court or its designate to whom the request has been first made] under the
relevant sub-section shall alone be competent to decide on the request.
1
[(12) (a) Where the matters referred to in sub-sections (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) and sub-section (10) arise
in an international commercial arbitration, the reference to the “Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the
High Court” in those sub-sections shall be construed as a reference to the “Supreme Court”; and
(b) Where the matters referred to in sub-sections (4), (5), (6), (7), (8) and sub-section (10) arise in any
other arbitration, the reference to “the Supreme Court or, as the case may be, the High Court” in those
sub-sections shall be construed as a reference to the “High Court” within whose local limits the principal
Civil Court referred to in clause (e) of sub-section (1) of section 2 is situate, and where the High Court
itself is the Court referred to in that clause, to that High Court.]
2
[(13) An application made under this section for appointment of an arbitrator or arbitrators shall be
disposed of by the Supreme Court or the High Court or the person or institution designated by such Court,
as the case maybe, as expeditiously as possible and an endeavour shall be made to dispose of the matter
within a period of sixty days from the date of service of notice on the opposite party.
(14) For the purpose of determination of the fees of the arbitral tribunal and the manner of its
payment to the arbitral tribunal, the High Court may frame such rules as may be necessary, after taking
into consideration the rates specified in the Fourth Schedule.
Explanation.—For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that this sub-section shall not apply to
international commercial arbitration and in arbitrations (other than international commercial arbitration)
in case where parties have agreed for determination of fees as per the rules of an arbitral institution.]
3
[11A. Power of Central Government to amend Fourth Schedule.—(1) If the Central Government
is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, it may, by notification in the Official Gazette, amend
the Fourth Schedule and thereupon the Fourth Schedule shall be deemed to have been amended
accordingly.
(2) A copy of every notification proposed to be issued under sub-section (1), shall be laid in draft
before each House of Parliament, while it is in session, for a total period of thirty days which may be
comprised in one session or in two or more successive sessions, and if, before the expiry of the session
immediately following the session or the successive sessions aforesaid, both Houses agree in
disapproving the issue of the notification or both Houses agree in making any modification in the
notification, the notification shall not be issued or, as the case may be, shall be issued only in such
modified form as may be agreed upon by the both Houses of Parliament.]
12. Grounds for challenge.—4
[(1) When a person is approached in connection with his possible
appointment as an arbitrator, he shall disclose in writing any circumstances,—
(a) such as the existence either direct or indirect, of any past or present relationship with or
interest in any of the parties or in relation to the subject-matter in dispute, whether financial, business,
professional or other kind, which is likely to give rise to justifiable doubts as to his independence or
impartiality; and
(b) which are likely to affect his ability to devote sufficient time to the arbitration and in
particular his ability to complete the entire arbitration within a period of twelve months.
Explanation1.—The grounds stated in the Fifth Schedule shall guide in determining whether
circumstances exist which give rise to justifiable doubts as to the independence or impartiality of an
arbitrator.
Explanation 2.—The disclosure shall be made by such person in the form specified in the Sixth
Schedule.]
(2) An arbitrator, from the time of his appointment and throughout the arbitral proceedings, shall,
without delay, disclose to the parties in writing any circumstances referred to in sub-section (1) unless
they have already been informed of them by him.
1. Subs. by Act 3 of 2016, s. 6, for sub-section (12) (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
2. Ins. by s. 6, ibid.(w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
3. Ins. by s. 7, ibid. (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
4. Subs. by s. 8, ibid., for sub-section (1) (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
13
(3) An arbitrator may be challenged only if—
(a) circumstances exist that give rise to justifiable doubts as to his independence or impartiality,
or
(b) he does not possess the qualifications agreed to by the parties.
(4) A party may challenge an arbitrator appointed by him, or in whose appointment he has
participated, only for reasons of which he becomes aware after the appointment has been made.
1
[(5) Notwithstanding any prior agreement to the contrary, any person whose relationship, with the
parties or counsel or the subject-matter of the dispute, falls under any of the categories specified in the
Seventh Schedule shall be ineligible to be appointed as an arbitrator:
Provided that parties may, subsequent to disputes having arisen between them, waive the applicability
of this sub-section by an express agreement in writing.]
13. Challenge procedure.—(1) Subject to sub-section (4), the parties are free to agree on a procedure
for challenging an arbitrator.
(2) Failing any agreement referred to in sub-section (1), a party who intends to challenge an arbitrator
shall, within fifteen days after becoming aware of the constitution of the arbitral tribunal or after
becoming aware of any circumstances referred to in sub-section (3) of section 12, send a written
statement of the reasons for the challenge to the arbitral tribunal.
(3) Unless the arbitrator challenged under sub-section (2) withdraws from his office or the other party
agrees to the challenge, the arbitral tribunal shall decide on the challenge.
(4) If a challenge under any procedure agreed upon by the parties or under the procedure under subsection (2) is not successful, the arbitral tribunal shall continue the arbitral proceedings and make an
arbitral award.
(5) Where an arbitral award is made under sub-section (4), the party challenging the arbitrator may
make an application for setting aside such an arbitral award in accordance with section 34.
(6) Where an arbitral award is set aside on an application made under sub-section (5), the Court may
decide as to whether the arbitrator who is challenged is entitled to any fees.
14. Failure or impossibility to act.—(1)
2
[The mandate of an arbitrator shall terminate and he shall
be substituted by another arbitrator, if]—
(a) he becomes de jure or de facto unable to perform his functions or for other reasons fails to act
without undue delay; and
(b) he withdraws from his office or the parties agree to the termination of his mandate.
(2) If a controversy remains concerning any of the grounds referred to in clause (a) of sub-section (1),
a party may, unless otherwise agreed by the parties, apply to the Court to decide on the termination of the
mandate.
(3) If, under this section or sub-section (3) of section 13, an arbitrator withdraws from his office or a
party agrees to the termination of the mandate of an arbitrator, it shall not imply acceptance of the validity
of any ground referred to in this section or sub-section (3) of section 12.
15. Termination of mandate and substitution of arbitrator.—(1) In addition to the circumstances
referred to in section 13 or section 14,the mandate of an arbitrator shall terminate—
(a) where he withdraws from office for any reason; or
(b) by or pursuant to agreement of the parties.
1. Ins. by Act 3 of 2016, s. 8 (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
2. Subs. by s. 9, ibid., for “The mandate of an arbitrator shall terminate if” (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
14
(2) Where the mandate of an arbitrator terminates, a substitute arbitrator shall be appointed according
to the rules that were applicable to the appointment of the arbitrator being replaced.
(3) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, where an arbitrator is replaced under sub-section (2), any
hearings previously held maybe repeated at the discretion of the arbitral tribunal.
(4) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, an order or ruling of the arbitral tribunal made prior to the
replacement of an arbitrator under this section shall not be invalid solely because there has been a change
in the composition of the arbitral tribunal.