Authority: High Court of Judicature at Bombay, Commercial Division
Order Date: 10 September 2026
Case Overview
- Parties: Applicants – Lalit Suresh Narkhede & Ors.; Respondents – Pluto Realtors LLP & Anr.
- The dispute arises from an Agreement (MoU) dated 5 February 2021, containing an arbitration clause in Clause 10.
- The Applicants invoked the arbitration agreement by issuing a notice on 19 April 2024.
- The Court, after reviewing the material, found a valid and subsisting arbitration agreement that had been duly invoked, thereby falling within the jurisdiction of Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.
- Under Section 11, the Court ordered the appointment of a sole arbitrator to adjudicate the disputes.
- Ms. Ayushi Anandpara Parekh, Advocate of this Court, was appointed as the Sole Arbitrator. Her office address is C/o Rohaan Cama, Office Nos. 17–18, 1st Floor, Islam Building, Veer Nariman Road, Fort, Mumbai – 400001. Email: ayushi.anandpara@gmail.com.
- The Court directed that a copy of this Order be communicated to the Sole Arbitrator by the Applicants’ advocates within one week.
- The Applicants must provide the contact and communication particulars of the parties to the Arbitral Tribunal along with a copy of the Order.
- The Sole Arbitrator is required to forward the statutory Statement of Disclosure under Section 11(8) read with Section 12(1) of the Act to the Applicants’ advocates for filing in the Court Registry; the Registry will retain the statement and a copy will be furnished to the Respondents’ advocates.
- The Sole Arbitrator must also forward the Statement of Disclosure to both parties within two weeks of receiving the Order.
- The parties are to appear before the Sole Arbitrator on a date and place to be indicated, to obtain directions regarding the conduct of the arbitration, including fixing a schedule for pleadings, examination of witnesses (if any), and hearing dates. At that meeting, the parties must provide valid email addresses and mobile/landline numbers of their respective advocates; communications to these email addresses will constitute valid service.
- All arbitral costs and fees of the Arbitral Tribunal shall be borne equally by the parties initially, subject to any final award on costs.
- All issues on the merits are expressly kept open to be agitated before the appointed arbitral tribunal.
- The order also notes that all actions required pursuant to this order shall be taken upon receipt of a downloaded copy as available on the Court’s website.
Final Outcome
- Ms. Ayushi Anandpara Parekh is appointed as the sole arbitrator to resolve the disputes arising out of the 5 Feb 2021 MoU between Lalit Suresh Narkhede & Ors. and Pluto Realtors LLP. The arbitration will proceed under the directions stipulated by the Court, with costs initially shared equally.
Topics: Arbitration, Court Order