In Brief
An employee terminated by a company challenged the High Court's appointment of an arbitrator under the Arbitration Act. The Supreme Court held that disputes over unpaid wages and the validity of termination are non-arbitrable because the Payment of Wages Act and Industrial Disputes Act provide exclusive statutory remedies through designated authorities. The court found the arbitration petition was an abuse of process, as the alleged breach of non-disclosure obligations was never mentioned during the disciplinary process but introduced only in the arbitration petition. The Court set aside the High Court order, dismissed the arbitration petition, and awarded the employee Rs. 5 lakhs in costs.
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