In Brief
A road contractor and Jammu & Kashmir Economic Reconstruction Agency disputed road project contracts, triggering arbitration. The Tribunal fixed Srinagar as the seat but held hearings in New Delhi and signed the award there. The High Court dismissed a challenge to the award, reasoning that New Delhi's courts held jurisdiction since proceedings occurred there. The Supreme Court reversed this, holding that once a seat is designated, it grants exclusive jurisdiction to courts of that place, irrespective of where hearings occur or the award is signed. The seat determines the "juridical home" of arbitration; venue is merely for convenience. The case reinforces that arbitration seat operates as an exclusive jurisdiction clause.
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