In Brief
The Supreme Court considered whether a High Court Judge designated to appoint an arbitrator under Section 11(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, must appoint the specific person named in the arbitration agreement. The Court held that although the appointment procedure agreed by parties should normally be followed, the designated Judge may appoint an independent arbitrator if circumstances warrant it—such as justifiable doubts about the proposed arbitrator's independence or impartiality. The designated Judge must give due regard to qualifications specified in the agreement but is not bound to that specific choice. The Union's appeal was dismissed.
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