In Brief
The Supreme Court held that a demarcation report prepared during conciliation proceedings cannot be relied upon as evidence in subsequent judicial proceedings. The Court interpreted Section 75 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 broadly, holding that all matters "relating to" conciliation proceedings must remain confidential. Using the test from Ruby General Insurance, the Court found that since the report's genesis lay entirely in the conciliation process, it fell within confidentiality protections even though it did not fall within the four specific categories listed in Section 81. The Court allowed the appeal and set aside the High Court order, emphasizing that broad confidentiality protections are necessary to encourage free and fair settlements in conciliation proceedings.
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