The Madhya Pradesh High Court held that the word “may” in an arbitration clause does not make arbitration optional. Justice Deepak Khot ruled that parties’ intention must be examined from the agreement as a whole, allowing appointment of an arbitrator under Section 11(6).
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant highlighted the rising significance of mediation in commercial dispute resolution, noting that international arbitration increasingly faces delays and procedural complexities. He stressed that mediation should be regarded not merely as an alternative mechanism but as an essential pillar of modern justice systems.
Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that international arbitration is increasingly mirroring the delays, costs, and procedural complexities of traditional litigation. Speaking in London, he cautioned that arbitration faces growing challenges relating to efficiency, accessibility, affordability, and effective dispute resolution.
The Allahabad High Court held that Lok Adalats and District Legal Services Authorities cannot grant divorce decrees, ruling that only family courts possess jurisdiction to dissolve marriages, while Lok Adalats are limited to facilitating settlements and lack authority to exercise judicial powers in matrimonial disputes.
The Election Commission of India told the Supreme Court that US court judgments cannot be blindly relied upon, questioning due process in recent American actions cited by petitioners. Senior Advocate Rakesh Dwivedi argued that India’s constitutional framework on electoral roll revision cannot be compared with US practices while defending the SIR exercise.
