Aribitral proceedings at Singapore: SC asks Lalit Modi to move Delhi HC with plea for early hearing

The Supreme Court asked Lalit Modi on Monday to approach the Delhi High Court for seeking early hearing on his plea against an order staying the arbitral proceedings in Singapore over a property dispute of the family.

A division bench of the Delhi High Court on March 5 stayed the arbitral proceedings at Singapore which was set in motion by Modi, who challenged the order in the apex court.

Prior to this, Modi had got a favourable order from a single judge bench of the high court on March 3 which held as not maintainable the pleas of his mother Bina, his sister Charu and brother Samir against the arbitral proceedings at Singapore.

The three are opposed to the arbitral proceedings initiated by UK-based Modi in Singapore.

The apex court's vacation bench, which comprised Justices Ashok Bhushan and Surya Kant, heard the counsel for both sides for a while and asked senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Modi, to move the high court itself and seek an early hearing on his plea against the stay of the arbitral proceedings at Singapore.

"These special leave petitions have been filed against an interim order dated March 5... The next date fixed by the Hight Court is March 27," the bench noted in its order.

Singhvi said the dates were fixed to take emergency measures before foreign seated arbitrator and after the suit was dismissed by the single judge bench, a division bench passed the interim order without hearing Modi.

Taking note of the plea seeking urgent hearing of Lalit Modi, the bench said, "We are of the view that High Court having already fixed the matter on March 27, it is open for the petitioner to make a request to the High Court for preponement of the date... It shall be open for the petitioner to make a request on the reopening day for preponement of the date."