In Brief
The Supreme Court addressed jurisdiction over arbitrator appointment in a land acquisition dispute under the National Highways Act, 1956. The High Court had attempted to appoint an arbitrator under the general Arbitration and Conciliation Act. The Court held that the special statutory scheme of the National Highways Act vests exclusive authority in the Central Government to appoint arbitrators for compensation disputes. The appeals succeeded; the Court directed the Central Government to appoint an arbitrator within 30 days and the arbitrator to decide the matter within six months, preventing further litigation delay.
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