Referred to Larger Bench XXV: Doctrine of Separability of Arbitration Agreement

It is well settled, an Arbitration Agreement is distinct and separate; independent from the substantive commercial contract in which it is embedded. The autonomy of the Arbitration Agreement is based on the twin concepts of separability and kompetenz – kompetenz; which, though inter-related, are distinct. The Doctrine of Separability of Arbitration Agreement connotes, the invalidity, […]

Timing of Votes

The disqualification under Section 8 of The Representation of People Act, 1951 is relatable to Article 191(1)(e). Therefore, any interpretation to Section 8 should be in sync with the constitutional scheme. Once the period of disqualification starts running, the seat, hitherto held by the person disqualified, becomes vacant by virtue of Article 190(3). His name […]

Section 34 of The Arbitration Act IV / Arbitral Award Dissent

Mr. Peter Leaver [Queen’s Counsel], Justice V.K. Gupta [Retd.] and Mr. Anthony Houghton [Senior Counsel] delivered their International Arbitral Award in New Delhi, on 12.05.2014. Majority Award [Mr. Peter Leaver and Mr. Anthony Houghton] was in favor of Anglo American Metallurgical Coal Pty Ltd. and Dissenting Award [Justice V.K. Gupta] dismissed the claim of Anglo […]

Section 53 of The Competition Act / Aggrieved Person II / The Revival of Ray LVII

Samir Agarwal sought, by an information filed, CCI to initiate an inquiry, under Section 26(2) of The Competition Act, 2002, into the alleged anti-competitive conduct of Ola and Uber. Shri Rajshekhar Rao, appearing on behalf of Ola, submitted, Samir cannot be said to be a ‘person aggrieved’ for the purpose of sections 53B and 53T. […]

Principles of Fiduciary Relationships

See, Frame v. Smith, [1987] 2 SCR 99. Hospital Products Ltd. v. United States Surgical Corporation Ltd., (1984) 156 CLR 41 rightly observed, the scope of fiduciary duties is moulded according to the nature of the relationship and facts of the case. Principles of Fiduciary Relationships are equitable. Equity never operates in an absolute manner […]

Day-Fraction

There can be no doubt, the principle which appears to have evolved over a period of time is, the law frowns upon determining a day with reference to its fractions. The principle, ‘fractions of the day’ are eschewed from consideration, is not a universal principle which knows no exceptions. Clearly the context and the purpose […]

Act of Transformation

Most jurists draw distinction between ‘direct application’ of treaties in domestic law, and national legal systems that mandate and require ‘act of transformation’ for an international treaty to apply and be a part of domestic law; ‘direct application’ means and mandates that the treaty norms, either wholly or to some extent, are directly treated as […]

My Precious Bitcoin

My Lord, Satoshi Nakamoto? “He still remains anonymous.” Reserve Bank of India, on 06.04.2018, in exercise of the powers conferred by Section 35A read with Section 36(1)(a) and Section 56 of The Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and Section 45JA and 45L of The Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and Section 10(2) read with […]

Piercing / Disregarding the Corporate Veil II

Doctrine of Piercing the Corporate Veil is as well settled as the Salomon, [1897] AC 22 principle itself. In Life Insurance Corporation of India v. Escorts Ltd., (1986) 1 SCC 264, this Court held: “Generally and broadly speaking, we may say that the corporate veil may be lifted where a statute itself contemplates lifting the […]

Piercing the Corporate Veil I

3 Judges in Balwant Rai Saluja implicitly questioned the grounds on which the SC had previously lifted the corporate veil and correctly held that the law on the point has in recent times crystallized around the six requirements set out by Munby J in Ben Hashem, approved by Lord Sumption in Prest v. Petrodel Resources. 2 […]

Legal Proceeding

“The expression ‘legal proceeding’ has been the subject matter of consideration in the Federal Court decision in Governor-General in Council v. Shiromani Sugar Mills Ltd., AIR 1946 FC 16. In that decision Section 171 of the Indian Companies Act, 1913 came up for consideration. “When a winding-up Order has been made or a Provisional Liquidator […]

Deposit under Section 18 of SARFAESI Act

SC in Lakshmi Rattan Engineering Works Ltd. v. Assistant Commissioner Sales Tax, Kanpur, AIR 1968 SC 488 had the occasion to consider the meaning of the expression ‘entertain’ in the context of The Uttar Pradesh Sales Tax Act, 1948. It was held that the expression has the meaning of ‘admitting to consideration’. An appeal under […]

Mr. Harish Salve’s Alter Ego

Sir Salve and Sir Nariman argued on behalf of Sunil Bharti Mittal recently. It is to Mr. Harish Salve’s credit that his ‘neat submission‘ on ‘alter ego’ was accepted. A man is the alter ego of the company. Sir Salve submitted that the “principle of alter ego has always been applied in reverse”. It is not […]

Section 26 of The Competition Act

Section 26 of The Competition Act, 2002 (“Act”) prescribes the “procedure for inquiry of complaints under Section 19”. If Competition Commission of India (“CCI”), on receipt of information received under Section 19, is of the opinion that there exists a prima facie case, it must direct the Director General (“DG”) to investigate. The DG, on receipt […]

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Corporate Law