Bombay High Court Reaffirms Binding Nature Of Emergency Arbitrator's Decision, Grants Interim Relief U/S 9 Of Arbitration Act

The Bombay High Court reaffirmed the binding nature of an emergency arbitrator’s decision and granted interim relief under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The court emphasized that the object of Section 9 is to support arbitration and not allow parties to detract from the process. The court held that once a party agrees to institutional rules and participates in emergency arbitration, it cannot later claim the ruling is non-binding. The court granted interim relief to the petitioners, recognizing the emergency arbitrator’s decision as an “order” rather than a “final award.” This ruling reinforces the enforceability of emergency arbitrator decisions and the importance of party autonomy in arbitration proceedings.