 "gavel, judge, court")
Pre-deposit demand for arbitration illegal
A condition in a notice of tender demanding a pre-deposit of 10 per cent of the claim for invoking arbitration is illegal and arbitrary, the Supreme Court ruled last week in its judgment, Icomm Tele Ltd vs Punjab State Water Supply Board. Such a condition will discourage parties from taking the route of an alternative dispute resolution process. The judgment of the Punjab & Haryana High Court which took a contrary view was struck down. In this case, the board invited tenders for augmentation of the water supply and sewerage system in the state. Icomm was
