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Bombay High Court

ACME HOUSING DESIGN LLPversusVIOLET MONIS

Decided
Disposal
DISPOSED OFF

Holding

The Court held that a valid arbitration agreement existed and had been properly invoked, warranting the appointment of a sole arbitrator under Section 11.

Summary

The Applicant, Acme Housing Design LLP, filed an application under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 seeking the appointment of an arbitrator to resolve disputes arising from an agreement dated 19 March 2025. The Applicant invoked the arbitration clause on 19 December 2025, and the Court examined whether a valid arbitration agreement existed and had been properly invoked. The Court found that a subsisting arbitration agreement was in place and that the notice of invocation was valid. Consequently, the Court appointed Mr. Ashish Venugopal as the sole arbitrator and issued procedural directions for disclosure, communication, and cost allocation. All substantive issues were left open for determination by the appointed arbitrator.

Issues considered

  • Whether a valid and subsisting arbitration agreement exists between the parties.
  • Whether the arbitration agreement has been duly invoked by the Applicant under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.

Legislation cited

Subjects

  • Arbitration
  • Section 11
  • Arbitration Agreement
  • Appointment of Arbitrator
  • Disclosure
  • Arbitral Costs

Judgment

                                                                                 3-arbap-395-2026.doc


                      Shabnoor
                               IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                   ORDINARY ORIGINAL CIVIL JURISDICTION

                                 ARBITRATION APPLICATION NO. 395 OF 2026

                      Acme Housing Design LLP                       … Applicant
SHABNOOR                         V/s.
AYUB                  Violet Monis & Ors.                           … Respondents
PATHAN
Digitally signed by
SHABNOOR AYUB
PATHAN
Date: 2026.09.10      Mr. M. M. Vashi, Sr. Advocate a/w Itisha Ranka i/b M P
18:26:02 +0530
                      Vashi & Associates, for the Applicant.


                                                  CORAM       : AMIT BORKAR, J.

                                                  DATED       : SEPTEMBER 10, 2026
                      P.C.:
                      1.      Learned Advocate for the Applicant seeks permission to
                      delete Respondent Nos. 1 to 8. Permission, as sought, is granted.

                      2.      Amendment be carried out forthwith.

                      3.      The present Application has been filed under Section 11 of
                      the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (“the Act”), seeking the
                      appointment of an Arbitrator for adjudication of the disputes and
                      differences stated to have arisen between the parties under an
                      Agreement dated 19 March 2025. The arbitration agreement
                      between the parties is contained in Clause 38 of the said
                      Agreement, a copy whereof is placed at page 131 of the
                      Application. In the interest of brevity, the said arbitration clause is
                      not reproduced herein. It would suffice to observe that the present
                      Application falls within the jurisdiction of this Court.




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                                                        3-arbap-395-2026.doc


4.      The record indicates that the Applicant invoked the
arbitration agreement by issuing a notice dated 19 December
2025.

5.      Upon perusal of the material placed on record, it is evident
that the arbitration agreement has been duly invoked by the
Applicant.

6.      This Court is satisfied that a valid and subsisting arbitration
agreement exists between the parties and that the said agreement
has been duly invoked. It would, therefore, be appropriate to refer
the disputes and differences arising out of or in connection with
the aforesaid Agreement dated 19 March 2025 to arbitration
before a Sole Arbitrator.

7.      In the aforesaid circumstances, the present Application under
Section 11 of the Act, is deserved to be disposed of in terms of the
following order:

        A)   Mr. Ashish Venugopal, Advocate of this court is hereby
        appointed as the Sole Arbitrator to adjudicate upon the
        disputes and differences between the parties arising out of
        and in connection with the Agreement referred to above;
        Office Address:- Chambers of Nikhil Sakhardande, Sr. Adv.,
        1101, 1 Infinity, Cawasji Patel Street, Fort, Mumbai –
        400001.

        Email:[email protected]
        B)   A copy of this Order will be communicated to the
        Learned Sole Arbitrator by the Advocates for the
        Applicant within a period of one week from today. The



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Applicant shall provide the contact and communication
particulars of the parties to the Arbitral Tribunal along
with a copy of this Order;

C)      The Learned Sole Arbitrator is requested to
forward the statutory Statement of Disclosure under
Section 11(8) read with Section 12(1) of the Act to the
Advocates for the Applicant so as to enable them to file
the same in the Registry of this Court. The Registry of
this Court shall retain the said Statement on the file of
this Applicant and a copy of the same shall be furnished
by the Advocates for the Applicant to the Advocates for
the Respondent;

D)      The Learned Sole Arbitrator is requested to
forward the statutory Statement of Disclosure under
Section 11(8) read with Section 12(1) of the Act to the
parties within a period of two weeks from receipt of a
copy of this Order;

E)      The parties shall appear before the Learned Sole
Arbitrator on such date and at such place as indicated, to
obtain appropriate directions with regard to conduct of
the arbitration including fixing a schedule for pleadings,
examination of witnesses, if any, schedule of hearings
etc. At such meeting, the parties shall provide a valid
and functional email address along with mobile and
landline numbers of the respective Advocates of the
parties to the Arbitral Tribunal. Communications to such
email    addresses    shall   constitute   valid   service     of



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     correspondence in connection with the arbitration;

     F)    All arbitral costs and fees of the Arbitral Tribunal
     shall be borne by the parties equally in the first instance,
     and shall be subject to any final Award that may be
     passed by the Tribunal in relation to costs.

8.    All issues on merits are expressly kept open to be agitated
before the arbitral tribunal appointed hereby.
9.    All actions required to be taken pursuant to this order shall
be taken upon receipt of a downloaded copy as available on this
Court’s website.

                                             (AMIT BORKAR, J.)




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