In Brief
A contractor claimed disputed portions of a final bill over three years after work completion, but within five years. The High Court rejected the arbitration application, treating it as time-barred. The Supreme Court allowed the appeal, holding that the claim was a 'live claim' requiring arbitration. The Court noted that payment on 10.04.2001 explicitly covered only the undisputed portion, with disputed claims remaining unadjudicated. A Chief Justice can reject claims only when evidently time-barred; here, detailed examination of relevant documents was needed—a matter for the Arbitral Tribunal, not for preliminary rejection. The case was remitted for arbitrator appointment."
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