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Jagdeep Chowgule v. Sheela Chowgule & Ors.

with connected appeal · 2026 INSC 92Decided 29 Jan 2026
with connected appeal
Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha · Justice R. Mahadevan

Background

A family-settlement arbitration's presiding arbitrator, originally appointed by the High Court, resigned; a Commercial Court extended a replacement arbitrator's time, but the High Court later held only it could grant such extensions.

Decision Breakdown

The Supreme Court held the ordinary Civil/Commercial Court retains jurisdiction to extend an arbitrator's time even where the High Court made the original appointment: a High Court's Section 11 appointment power is exhausted once exercised and creates no ongoing supervisory role.

Lesson Learnt

The power to extend an arbitral tribunal's time limit lies with the ordinary court, even if a High Court originally appointed the arbitrator: appointment and ongoing supervision are legally distinct functions.

Official source (sci.gov.in)View Judgment (PDF)

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