In Brief
Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation sought execution of a 2001 arbitral award against Atwal Rice Mills for Rs. 10,24,847.15 with interest for non-performance of a paddy-processing agreement. The executing court and High Court dismissed the execution application, finding a partial payment of Rs. 3,37,885/- had satisfied the entire decree. The Supreme Court held that once an arbitral award attains finality under the Arbitration Act, 1996, it has the status of a court decree and must be enforced as such. Payment must comply with Order 21 Rules of the Code of Civil Procedure; an uncertified partial payment cannot satisfy a full decree. All objections lacked merit and should not have been entertained in execution proceedings. The Court allowed the appeal and directed issuance of a recovery warrant for the full decretal amount.
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