{"id":126884,"date":"2009-05-08T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-05-07T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/r-george-pereira-vs-st-josephs-international-on-8-may-2009"},"modified":"2016-11-10T00:54:29","modified_gmt":"2016-11-09T19:24:29","slug":"r-george-pereira-vs-st-josephs-international-on-8-may-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/r-george-pereira-vs-st-josephs-international-on-8-may-2009","title":{"rendered":"R.George Pereira vs St.Joseph&#8217;S International &#8230; on 8 May, 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Kerala High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">R.George Pereira vs St.Joseph&#8217;S International &#8230; on 8 May, 2009<\/div>\n<pre>       \n\n  \n\n  \n\n \n \n  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM\n\nAR.No. 25 of 2007()\n\n\n1. R.GEORGE PEREIRA,\n                      ...  Petitioner\n\n                        Vs\n\n\n\n1. ST.JOSEPH'S INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY,\n                       ...       Respondent\n\n                For Petitioner  :SRI.K.L.VARGHESE\n\n                For Respondent  :FR.JOHNY THOTTAM\n\nThe Hon'ble MR. Justice PIUS C.KURIAKOSE\n\n Dated :08\/05\/2009\n\n O R D E R\n                   PIUS C. KURIAKOSE, J.\n          -----------------------------------------------\n                      A.R. No. 25 OF 2007\n          -----------------------------------------------\n           Dated this the 8th day of May, 2009\n\n                           O R D E R\n<\/pre>\n<p>     This is an application under section 11(6) of the<\/p>\n<p>Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 and the Scheme for<\/p>\n<p>Appointment of an Arbitrator by the Chief Justice of the<\/p>\n<p>Kerala High Court. The application seeks appointment of an<\/p>\n<p>independent and impartial arbitrator for adjudicating upon<\/p>\n<p>the various claims of the applicant against the respondent<\/p>\n<p>The applicant was contractor of the respondent for the<\/p>\n<p>construction of an school building at Kumbalam in Kollam<\/p>\n<p>under the name and style &#8220;St. Joseph International<\/p>\n<p>Academy&#8221;. It is alleged that disputes and differences arose<\/p>\n<p>between the parties on account of what is described as the<\/p>\n<p>recalcitrant attitude of the respondent to allow the applicant<\/p>\n<p>to complete the work which had neared completion. It is<\/p>\n<p>claimed that the applicant has carried out works worth<\/p>\n<p>Rs.68,57,616\/- in seven part bills whereas the respondent<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              -2-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>has paid only Rs.45,68,712\/-.      The balance amount due<\/p>\n<p>under the part bill is Rs.22,88,904\/-.      Since the balance<\/p>\n<p>amount remained unpaid, the windows which had been<\/p>\n<p>supplied by the applicant to the respondent had to be taken<\/p>\n<p>back and deducting the value of those windows, the balance<\/p>\n<p>amount due to the applicant is Rs.22,12,087\/-. According<\/p>\n<p>to the applicant, in order to avoid payment of the above<\/p>\n<p>amount the respondent sought to terminate the contract.<\/p>\n<p>The disputes and differences which was thus arisen are to<\/p>\n<p>be settled by resorting to           arbitration proceedings.<\/p>\n<p>Annexure A8 is copy of the agreement between the<\/p>\n<p>applicant and the respondent for construction of St. Joseph<\/p>\n<p>International Academy and clause 17 thereof is quoted as<\/p>\n<p>follows:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>      &#8220;(17) If there is any dispute relating to any matter<br \/>\n      regarding the construction of the building or any matter<br \/>\n      related to this contract, the Manager, St.Joseph&#8217;s<br \/>\n      International Academy, Kollam will be the sole<br \/>\n      Arbitrator for this purpose and his decision shall be<br \/>\n      final, and the second party will have no right to<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               -3-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>      challenge this decision in the court of law&#8221;.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>It is submitted that as per clause 17, the Manager of the<\/p>\n<p>respondent is to be the sole arbitrator. But since disputes<\/p>\n<p>have arisen on account of the actions and inactions of the<\/p>\n<p>Manager, he is not entitled to function as arbitrator since<\/p>\n<p>the same will be against the fundamental principle of<\/p>\n<p>natural justice, nemo debet esse judex in propria causa (no<\/p>\n<p>one shall be a judge in his own cause). It was under such<\/p>\n<p>circumstances that the applicant sent Annexure A4 letter<\/p>\n<p>indicating a panel of three names for selection of one among<\/p>\n<p>them as arbitrator by the respondent. To Annexure A4, the<\/p>\n<p>respondent&#8217;s Advocate sent Annexure A5 reply without<\/p>\n<p>selecting any of the nominee arbitrators but suggesting for<\/p>\n<p>appointment of two Civil Engineers, one to be appointed by<\/p>\n<p>each party who could jointly verify the records and files and<\/p>\n<p>assess the quantity and quality of the work done in order to<\/p>\n<p>avoid a litigation and to come to a fair settlement. The<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                            -4-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>applicant obliged and appointed his nominee under<\/p>\n<p>Annexure A6. The respondent also appointed its Engineer.<\/p>\n<p>By Annexure A7, the applicant requested both the Engineers<\/p>\n<p>to take up the assignment and pave way for a settlement.<\/p>\n<p>Though the applicant called for nominee Engineer of the<\/p>\n<p>respondent and furnished all measurement books and<\/p>\n<p>connected records and made necessary follow up, nothing<\/p>\n<p>materialized.   In the meanwhile, the applicant&#8217;s nominee<\/p>\n<p>Engineer met with an accident and passed away. Hence no<\/p>\n<p>useful purpose will be served by waiting further and that is<\/p>\n<p>the circumstances under which the applicant has filed this<\/p>\n<p>application under section 11(6) of the Arbitration and<\/p>\n<p>Conciliation Act, 1996 invoking the statutory appointment<\/p>\n<p>procedure of arbitrators.\n<\/p>\n<p>      2. On the basis that no counter affidavit was filed the<\/p>\n<p>A.R. was allowed by order dated 11-10-2007. Later R.P. No.<\/p>\n<p>233 of 2008 was filed and the above order was recalled.<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               -5-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>      3. The contentions of the respondent as discernible<\/p>\n<p>from the RP. 233\/08 filed by him and also the reply affidavit<\/p>\n<p>filed by him in the said RP are as follows:     The arbitrator<\/p>\n<p>who has been appointed by this court under the order dated<\/p>\n<p>11-10-07      (Sri.E.K.Muraleedharan,  Retired   District and<\/p>\n<p>Sessions Judge) is incapable of acting as arbitrator between<\/p>\n<p>the parties in the light of the legal bar under the provisions<\/p>\n<p>of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. It is submitted<\/p>\n<p>that contrary to what has been projected in the A.R. the<\/p>\n<p>Manager envisaged under clause 17 of the arbitration clause<\/p>\n<p>who is to act as the sole arbitrator in the event of disputes<\/p>\n<p>and the signatory to the agreement are one and the same<\/p>\n<p>person. In order to convince this court that the Manager of<\/p>\n<p>St.Joseph &#8216;s International Academy and the executant to the<\/p>\n<p>agreement are one and the same, the applicant has<\/p>\n<p>produced Annexure A8, but Annexure A8 does not contain<\/p>\n<p>the last page of the agreement.        The last page of the<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                               -6-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>agreement will disclose that the Manager was not the<\/p>\n<p>executant of the agreement. On the contrary the executant<\/p>\n<p>of the agreement was the General Manager. Annexure B1<\/p>\n<p>full text of the agreement is produced. It is pointed out that<\/p>\n<p>it will be seen from Annexure B1 last page that there was a<\/p>\n<p>typing mistake where the 1st party was indicated and<\/p>\n<p>instead of General Manager the word Manager was<\/p>\n<p>mistakenly used.      Since the party noticed the mistake at<\/p>\n<p>the time of execution of the agreement, the first party to<\/p>\n<p>the     agreement,    the   General   Manager,    St.Joseph&#8217;s<\/p>\n<p>International Academy did not sign and instead he signed as<\/p>\n<p>the General Manager only where the first party was<\/p>\n<p>indicated.     This was deliberately and intentionally done in<\/p>\n<p>order to avoid confusion as the Manager, St.Joseph&#8217;s<\/p>\n<p>International Academy was appointed as the arbitrator<\/p>\n<p>under clause 17 of the agreement.        It is submitted that<\/p>\n<p>there is absolute consensus with regard to the arbitrator by<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              -7-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>both parties to the agreement. It is then contended that<\/p>\n<p>the General Manager       and the Manager of St.Joseph&#8217;s<\/p>\n<p>International Academy are two different persons. Annexure<\/p>\n<p>B2 certificate issued by Mr.Joseph J. who was the Manager<\/p>\n<p>of St.Joseph Academy during the period from 1st June 2002<\/p>\n<p>to May 31, 2007 is produced.       The present Manager of<\/p>\n<p>St.Joseph Academy is one S.Sundaresan and Annexure B3<\/p>\n<p>certificate issued by him is produced.\n<\/p>\n<p>       4. Annexure &#8211; B4 dated 22-11-2004 was caused to the<\/p>\n<p>applicant by the respondent claiming Rs.39,43,330\/- from<\/p>\n<p>the applicant on various counts and requested that if the<\/p>\n<p>claim was disputed the matter be referred to the Manager,<\/p>\n<p>St, Joseph&#8217;s International Academy who alone is the<\/p>\n<p>arbitrator. Again Annexure B5 dated 30-8-2005 was issued<\/p>\n<p>on behalf of the respondent by way of reply to a lawyer<\/p>\n<p>notice dated 16-10-2005 sent at the instance of the<\/p>\n<p>applicant. Once again by Annexure B6 lawyer notice dated<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              -8-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>1st December 2005 the respondent&#8217;s lawyer informed the<\/p>\n<p>applicant&#8217;s lawyer in reply to applicant&#8217;s notice dated 19-11-<\/p>\n<p>2005 that the Manager of the St. Joseph&#8217;s International<\/p>\n<p>Academy is to be appointed as arbitrator and that it was not<\/p>\n<p>the Manager of the St. Joseph&#8217;s International Academy who<\/p>\n<p>had signed the agreement. In the reply affidavit filed by the<\/p>\n<p>respondent to the counter filed by the applicant to<\/p>\n<p>RP.233\/08, it is submitted that the respondent has never<\/p>\n<p>acted in a capacity as the Manager of St. Joseph&#8217;s<\/p>\n<p>International Academy at any stage. The respondent has<\/p>\n<p>been styled as General Manager or as Managing Director or<\/p>\n<p>Director. This is on account of the fact that at the time of<\/p>\n<p>construction of the school, the organization was at a very<\/p>\n<p>nascent stage and therefore the respondent was styled as<\/p>\n<p>General Manager and later as Managing Director\/Director.<\/p>\n<p>Similarly the then Manager Joseph John was styled as<\/p>\n<p>Manager and subsequently he continued as Manager who<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             -9-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>was also styled as Administrator. He continued to be the<\/p>\n<p>Manager as well as Administrator. It is submitted that the<\/p>\n<p>respondent in the RP (applicant) is trying to take advantage<\/p>\n<p>of a typing mistake made in the agreement wherein the<\/p>\n<p>word Manager was used in the last page instead of General<\/p>\n<p>Manager. However, it is submitted that there is no scope<\/p>\n<p>for such confusion as in the last page, it is the General<\/p>\n<p>Manager who had signed at the portion where the first party<\/p>\n<p>is indicated. In the agreement the first party is described as<\/p>\n<p>General Manager. Hence there is no scope for confusion.<\/p>\n<p>Referring     to the  correspondence     produced    by   the<\/p>\n<p>respondent it is submitted that the Manager Mr.Joseph John<\/p>\n<p>had signed on behalf of the General Manager and not in his<\/p>\n<p>capacity as the Manager of the school. It is pointed out that<\/p>\n<p>Ext.A9 is not addressed to the General Manager or to the<\/p>\n<p>institution. A10 is not addressed to the General Manager<\/p>\n<p>but to Joseph John, the Manager. It is reported that Joseph<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             -10-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>John has functioned only as Manager and that the<\/p>\n<p>respondent has never styled or functioned as Manager. It<\/p>\n<p>is further pointed out that the present Manager is not<\/p>\n<p>Joseph John but     is Mr. S. Sundareswaran and therefore<\/p>\n<p>there is no question of any prejudice being caused to the<\/p>\n<p>respondent.\n<\/p>\n<p>      6. I have heard the submissions of Sri. K.L. Varghese,<\/p>\n<p>learned counsel for the applicant and those Sri. Madhu<\/p>\n<p>Radhakrishnan,    learned   counsel  for  the   respondent.<\/p>\n<p>Mr.K.L.Varghese submitted that the non-production of the<\/p>\n<p>last page of Annexure A8 is not fatal.       The Arbitration<\/p>\n<p>Scheme and the Kerala Arbitration Rules require production<\/p>\n<p>of the arbitration agreement only along with the arbitration<\/p>\n<p>request and not the whole contract agreement. Reference<\/p>\n<p>was made to Section 7(2) of the Arbitration             and<\/p>\n<p>Conciliation Act in this context. According to the counsel,<\/p>\n<p>this was why the applicant produced only clause 17 of<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                                -11-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Annexure-A, which is the arbitration clause.           Counsel<\/p>\n<p>submitted that a reading of Annexures A4 and A5 will show<\/p>\n<p>that this is not the first time that issue has cropped up. It is<\/p>\n<p>submitted that on behalf of the applicant it has been made<\/p>\n<p>clear that it was Sri.George Fernandez who signed the<\/p>\n<p>agreement in the capacity of the Manager, first party and<\/p>\n<p>disputes have arisen on account of actions and inactions on<\/p>\n<p>the part of Sri.George Fernandez, the signatory which were<\/p>\n<p>denied.      Respondent maintained that the agreement was<\/p>\n<p>signed by the Managing Director and that the arbitrator was<\/p>\n<p>Manager.        In Annexure A5 signatory is referred to as<\/p>\n<p>Managing Director and not as General Manager which is<\/p>\n<p>very significant.   According to Mr.Varghese, last page of<\/p>\n<p>Annexure A8 would only strengthen the applicant&#8217;s case.<\/p>\n<p>He pointed out that the last page shows that the first party<\/p>\n<p>is styled as Manager. The expression first party is repeated<\/p>\n<p>twice.     It shows that the statement that the respondent<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              -12-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>deliberately and intentionally did not sign the first line but<\/p>\n<p>only the second line is incorrect. If the signatory found that<\/p>\n<p>the first party is not Manager he should have definitely<\/p>\n<p>scored it off.  If the Manager had signed as witness he<\/p>\n<p>should have scored off the word Manager as first party when<\/p>\n<p>he signed as witness, instead against the expression witness<\/p>\n<p>he should have styled himself as Manager.        Annexures 1<\/p>\n<p>and 2 produced along with the counter to the RP will show<\/p>\n<p>that there was a manager for the school and           never a<\/p>\n<p>General Manager. A reading of Annexures 2 and 3 together<\/p>\n<p>shows that Sri. Joseph Fernandez himself was the Manager<\/p>\n<p>though while issuing Annexure 3 he is styled as Director.<\/p>\n<p>Mr. Varghese emphasized the words &#8220;I am happy to award&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>in Annexure 3. Mr.Varghese submitted that the witness<\/p>\n<p>Joseph.J. Was only the Administrator and his full name<\/p>\n<p>Joseph John is indicated in Annexures A5 and A6.<\/p>\n<p>Mr.Varghese highlighted that in the reply affidavit it is<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             -13-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>admitted that Joseph. J. alias Joseph John turned to be the<\/p>\n<p>administrator.   The letter pad in Annexures 3 and 5 to 11<\/p>\n<p>shows that he was only &#8220;administrator&#8221; and not &#8220;Manager&#8221;.<\/p>\n<p>If so, his successor, the signatory to Annexure B4 also can<\/p>\n<p>be only an administrator and not the Manager. If under<\/p>\n<p>section 21, the commencement of arbitration proceedings is<\/p>\n<p>on the date of request to refer the disputes to arbitration<\/p>\n<p>then it should be deemed to be commenced after 22-11-<\/p>\n<p>2004, the date of Ext.B4. B2 will show that Joseph J. \/<\/p>\n<p>Joseph John was working for the petitioner at that time as<\/p>\n<p>administrator which means that there was no Manager to<\/p>\n<p>function as arbitrator.  This according to Mr. Varghese is<\/p>\n<p>precisely the reason why in Annexures B4 and B5 though<\/p>\n<p>repeatedly the respondent said that       the matter \/ all<\/p>\n<p>relevant papers would be placed before the arbitrator and<\/p>\n<p>the matter will be decided by him.       He did not do so<\/p>\n<p>because there was no manager at that time.     According to<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             -14-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Mr.Varghese it is unbelievable that certificates like B2 and<\/p>\n<p>B3 could be issued      by men of average intelligence and<\/p>\n<p>common sense. He submitted that those documents are<\/p>\n<p>fabricated and cooked up. He pointed out that the title &#8220;to<\/p>\n<p>whom it may concern&#8221; (sic) is conspicuous. He submitted<\/p>\n<p>that the same mistake is repeated in B2 and B3, though<\/p>\n<p>created and signed on different dates. He pointed out that<\/p>\n<p>the first para of both these annexures is identical. Para 2 of<\/p>\n<p>Annexure B2 and Paras 2 and 3 of B3 are identical. Para 4<\/p>\n<p>of B2 and para 3 of B3 are identical. He asserted that B2<\/p>\n<p>and B3 are dictated by one and the same person. Though<\/p>\n<p>B2 is dated 8-2-08 and B3 is 11-2-08 they are apparently<\/p>\n<p>made on the same date. The reason why the signatories on<\/p>\n<p>B2 and B3 had to issue such certificates is obscure,<\/p>\n<p>according to Mr.Varghese . Obviously the reason is only to<\/p>\n<p>help the respondent. By issuing such certificates both the<\/p>\n<p>signatories to B2 and B3prove their allegiance to the<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             -15-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>respondent,     making   themselves   disqualified   to  be<\/p>\n<p>independent and impartial arbitrator which is required under<\/p>\n<p>section 11(8)(b) of the Act even assuming that any one of<\/p>\n<p>them can be considered as arbitrator. Mr.Varghese would<\/p>\n<p>fortify his submissions on the authority of a catena of<\/p>\n<p>judicial precedents.   He relied on paragraphs 4.030 and<\/p>\n<p>4.031 of Russel on Arbitration 22nd Edition for the<\/p>\n<p>commentaries on apparent bias and real possibility test. He<\/p>\n<p>argued that actual bias is not necessary to be proved and<\/p>\n<p>that the knowledge at the time of appointment does not<\/p>\n<p>debar from applying on the ground that the arbitrator to be<\/p>\n<p>appointed in terms of the agreement may not be impartial.<\/p>\n<p>For this proposition he relied on page 215 of the Law of<\/p>\n<p>Practice of Commercial Arbitration by Mustill and Byod. To<\/p>\n<p>expatiate     his argument    regarding  the    concept   of<\/p>\n<p>independence and impartiality of arbitrator he relied on<\/p>\n<p>commentaries     contained  in   Comparative   International<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              -16-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Commercial Arbitration by Julian D M Lew QC and others.<\/p>\n<p>He relied on the judgments of the Supreme Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/1589968\/\">ACE<\/p>\n<p>Pipeline Contracts (P) Ltd. v. Bharat Petroleum Corpn. Ltd.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>(2007) 5 SCC 304, Bihar State Mineral Development Corpn.<\/p>\n<p>and others. v. Encon Builders (I) (P) Ltd. ((2003) 7 SCC<\/p>\n<p>418 and in Tata Cellular v. UOI (1994) 6 SCC 651 in support<\/p>\n<p>of various propositions canvassed by him.<\/p>\n<p>      7. Sri. MadhuRadhakrishnan, learned counsel for the<\/p>\n<p>respondent also did not lag behind in citing authorities. The<\/p>\n<p>learned counsel relied on the judgment of the Calcutta High<\/p>\n<p>Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/173865\/\">Pragati Engineering (P) Ltd. v. T.N.Water Supply &amp;<\/p>\n<p>Drainage Board, AIR<\/a> 1992 Calcutta 139 to argue that where<\/p>\n<p>the parties entered into a contract with their eyes open and<\/p>\n<p>knew that the nominated arbitrator is an employee of one of<\/p>\n<p>the parties, none of the parties to the agreement should be<\/p>\n<p>allowed to allege that such nominated arbitrator being an<\/p>\n<p>officer of one of the parties to the contract, would be biased<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              -17-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>or is likely to be biased.   Mr. Madhu Radhakrishnan relied<\/p>\n<p>on the judgment of the Supreme Court in International<\/p>\n<p>Airport Authority of India v . K.D.Bali, (AIR 1988 SC 1099)<\/p>\n<p>to argue that the apprehension of bias must be judged from<\/p>\n<p>a healthy, reasonable and average point of view and the<\/p>\n<p>request for removal of the appointed arbitrator is not to be<\/p>\n<p>granted lightly. Mr.Madhu Radhakrishnan placed reliance on<\/p>\n<p>the judgment of the Supreme Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/808122\/\">Jain Studios Ltd. v.<\/p>\n<p>Shin Satellite Public Co. Ltd.,<\/a> (2006) 5 SCC 501 also.<\/p>\n<p>      8. The provisions contained in sections 12 and 13 of<\/p>\n<p>the Arbitration and Conciliation Act incorporate grounds for<\/p>\n<p>challenge and the challenge procedure against and in<\/p>\n<p>respect of arbitrators will reveal that partiality and bias or<\/p>\n<p>circumstances giving rise to justifiable doubts regarding the<\/p>\n<p>impartiality and independence can be       valid grounds for<\/p>\n<p>challenging the appointment given to a certain persons as<\/p>\n<p>arbitrator. At the same time, a party should not be allowed<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                              -18-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>to wriggle easily out of agreements entered into by them<\/p>\n<p>with open eyes.     In the instant case it is seen that the<\/p>\n<p>applicant had agreed to the appointment of a person in the<\/p>\n<p>service of the opposite party as an arbitrator in the event of<\/p>\n<p>disputes.     That being the position I would have been<\/p>\n<p>ordinarily reluctant to accept the opposition of the applicant<\/p>\n<p>to the appointment of the nominated arbitrator on ground<\/p>\n<p>of bias and partiality. After all, it is a quasi judicial function<\/p>\n<p>which is being discharged by the arbitrator whose<\/p>\n<p>proceedings will be regulated by the provisions of the<\/p>\n<p>Arbitration and Conciliation Act. His award will be subjected<\/p>\n<p>to judicial scrutiny though on limited grounds and to a<\/p>\n<p>limited extent. But in the instant case I am not inclined to<\/p>\n<p>dismiss the arbitration request and to appoint the<\/p>\n<p>nominated arbitrator as the arbitrator for resolving the<\/p>\n<p>disputes which have admittedly arisen between the parties<\/p>\n<p>because it is seen from Annexures A4 and A5 that the<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             -19-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>respondent also     became agreeable to the idea of the<\/p>\n<p>disputes between the parties being resolved by persons<\/p>\n<p>other than the arbitrator nominated under the agreement.<\/p>\n<p>Annexures A6 and A7 will show that the parties had<\/p>\n<p>nominated an Engineer each and were willing to have the<\/p>\n<p>disputes between them resolved by a joint perusal of the<\/p>\n<p>relevant records by these two Engineers. To this extent, in<\/p>\n<p>my opinion the respondent has waived his right to insist<\/p>\n<p>that the arbitrator to be appointed has to be the arbitrator<\/p>\n<p>nominated under the agreement.      Moreover, in my opinion<\/p>\n<p>no prejudice whatsoever will be occasioned to the<\/p>\n<p>respondent by appointing a Retired Judicial Officer known<\/p>\n<p>for his learning and integrity as the arbitrator for resolving<\/p>\n<p>the disputes which admittedly subsist. Therefore without<\/p>\n<p>deciding the issue whether appointment of the nominated<\/p>\n<p>arbitrator will be vitiated due to reasons of bias and<\/p>\n<p>partiality I allow the arbitration request and appoint<\/p>\n<p>A.R. N0. 25\/07<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\">                             -20-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sri.E.K.Muraleedharan, Retired District and Sessions Judge,<\/p>\n<p>presently at Ernakulam as arbitrator for settling all the<\/p>\n<p>claims and counter claims raised by the applicant and the<\/p>\n<p>respondent respondent as detailed in Annexures A1 to A4 as<\/p>\n<p>well as in the arbitration request. The arbitrator will enter<\/p>\n<p>on arbitration and make and publish his award without<\/p>\n<p>undue delay.\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p>                         (PIUS C.KURIAKOSE, JUDGE)<br \/>\nksv\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kerala High Court R.George Pereira vs St.Joseph&#8217;S International &#8230; on 8 May, 2009 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM AR.No. 25 of 2007() 1. R.GEORGE PEREIRA, &#8230; Petitioner Vs 1. ST.JOSEPH&#8217;S INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, &#8230; Respondent For Petitioner :SRI.K.L.VARGHESE For Respondent :FR.JOHNY THOTTAM The Hon&#8217;ble MR. Justice PIUS C.KURIAKOSE Dated :08\/05\/2009 O R D [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-126884","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-high-court","category-kerala-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>R.George Pereira vs St.Joseph&#039;S International ... on 8 May, 2009 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/r-george-pereira-vs-st-josephs-international-on-8-may-2009\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"R.George Pereira vs St.Joseph&#039;S International ... on 8 May, 2009 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; 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