Bombay High Court Upholds Arbitral Award Against BCCI, Directs Payment Of ₹538.9 Crore To Defunct IPL Franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala

The Bombay High Court, while upholding an arbitral award directing the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to pay Rs 538.9 crore to Kochi Cricket Private Limited, has reaffirmed the limited scope of a court's jurisdiction under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. The court emphasized that it cannot act as an appellate authority over the arbitral tribunal. Its role is not to re-appreciate the evidence or to substitute its own view for that of the arbitrator. The court can only set aside an award on very specific grounds, such as patent illegality appearing on the face of the award, but it cannot delve into the factual findings of the tribunal. This judgment is a strong endorsement of the principle of minimal judicial intervention in arbitral awards, thereby promoting the efficiency and finality of the arbitration process.