Authority: Supreme Court of India
Order Date: August 21, 2026
Case Overview
- Petition: Special Leave Petition (C) No.27532 of 2025 filed by Arun Kumar Dey (Petitioner) against The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) and others (Respondents).
- Origin: The petitioner had earlier approached the High Court of Tripura seeking arbitration over a dispute arising from work entrusted by ONGC.
- High Court Findings: The High Court identified an arbitration clause in the agreement but held that the petitioner’s issuance of multiple notices and additional claims was impermissible under that clause, thereby denying arbitration.
- Supreme Court Observation: The Court held that at the Section 11 stage the court should only ascertain the existence of an arbitration clause, not evaluate subsequent notices. Since an arbitration clause exists, the parties must be allowed to arbitrate.
- Party Consent: Both parties consented to the appointment of an arbitrator.
- Arbitrator Appointment: The Court, after inviting suggestions, appointed Hon'ble Justice (Retd.) Shri Subhashis Talapatra, former Chief Justice, High Court of Orissa, as the sole arbitrator. Contact details: VIP Road, Bangladesh Assistant High Commission, Near Circuit House, Kunjaban, Agartala, Tripura – 799 001; Email: reachsubhasis@gmail.com; Mobile: 9436122984.
- Arbitrator Powers: The arbitrator shall issue notices to the parties, determine his own fee, and conduct the proceedings. The Court expressed no opinion on the merits of the dispute.
- Administrative Directions: The Registry of the Supreme Court shall intimate the appointed arbitrator. No costs are awarded to either side.
Final Outcome
- The Special Leave Petition stands disposed of.
- Any pending applications, if any, are also disposed of.
- The order is signed by Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. Vinod Chandra.
Topics: Arbitration, Oil & Gas