Manjushri Kabra vs Maya Tradelinks Limited on 24 July, 2025

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Karnataka High Court

Manjushri Kabra vs Maya Tradelinks Limited on 24 July, 2025

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                                                      WA No. 257 of 2025


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                    IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU

                          DATED THIS THE 24TH DAY OF JULY, 2025

                                        PRESENT
                      THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE
                                          AND
                           THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C M JOSHI
                           WRIT APPEAL NO. 257 OF 2025 (BDA)
Digitally
signed by      BETWEEN:
SRIDEVI S
Location:
High Court     1.   MANJUSHRI KABRA
of Karnataka        AGED ABOUT 60 YEARS
                    WIFE OF SHRI KIRTI KUMAR KABRA
                    RESIDING AT NO. A-906
                    R.N.S. SHANTI NIVAS
                    YESHWANTHPURA, TUMKUR ROAD
                    BANGALORE - 560 022.
                                                             ...APPELLANT
               (BY SMT. JAYNA KOTHARI, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR
                SRI. NAVEEN CHANDRA V., ADVOCATE)

               AND:

               1.   MAYA TRADELINKS LIMITED
                    COMPANY INCORPORATED
                    UNDER COMPANIES ACT, 2013
                    VAIBHAV, 4, LEE ROAD
                    KOLKATA - 700 020.

               2.   BANGALORE DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
                    KUMARA PARK WEST
                    T. CHOWDAIAH ROAD
                    BANGALORE - 560 020
                    REP. BY ITS COMMISSIONER
                                                         ...RESPONDENTS
               (BY SRI DHANANJAY V. JOSHI, SENIOR ADVOCATE FOR
                Ms. KAVITHA DAMODARAN, ADVOCATE FOR R-1 &
                SRI. AJAY KUMAR M., ADVOCATE FOR R-2)
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    THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE
KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT, 1961 PRAYING TO SET ASIDE THE
ORDER DTD. 15.01.2025 PASSED IN W.P.No.10696 OF 2023 & ETC.

    THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR ORDERS, THIS DAY,
JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM:    HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE
          and
          HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C M JOSHI

                        ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER: HON’BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE)

1. The appellant has filed the present intra Court appeal

impugning the order dated 15.01.2025 [impugned order] passed

by learned Single Judge of this Court in W.P.No.10696/23

captioned Maya Tradelinks Ltd. v. Bangalore Development

Authority and others. The learned Single Judge has directed

Bangalore Development Authority [BDA] which is arrayed as

respondent No.2 in the present appeal, to inform the appellant the

specific date on which it would execute sale deeds in respect of

two sites described as Sites No. 5544 and 5573 forming a part of

Sy.No.3, situated at K. Krishnasagara Village, Nadaprabhu

Kempegowda Layout, measuring 360 sq.mtrs., each [hereafter the

subject sites]. And, proceed to execute the sale deeds

accordingly, within a period of 4 weeks from the date of receipt of
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the certified copy of the order. The BDA has also been directed to

furnish a compliance report to the Court on or before 24.04.2025.

2. It is not the appellant’s case that she does not desire that the

sale deeds for the subject sites be executed in her favour or

desires to relinquish her entitlement to the allotment of the subject

sites. In fact, the appellant does not have any objections to the

execution of the sale deeds in her favour. This Court had pointedly

asked the learned Senior Counsel Smt. Jayna Kothari appearing

for the appellant to take a firm stand if the appellant does not wish

to acquire the title of the sites in question and object BDA

executing the sale deeds in her favour. The learned Senior

Counsel answered in the negative. She submitted that the

appellant is not declining to accept conveyance of the sites in her

favour. However objects to the locus of respondent No.1 securing

an order to that effect from the learned Single Judge.

3. It is clear from the above whilst the appellant has no

grievance regarding BDA executing sale deeds of the subject sites

in her favour. Her objection is confined to the impugned order to

the said effect being passed at the instance of respondent No.1.
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The learned Senior Counsel earnestly contended that respondent

No.1 had no locus to file a writ petition for seeking any relief as

granted by the learned Single Judge. She contended that the writ

petition was not maintainable and therefore, the impugned order is

liable to be set aside.

4. The learned Senior Counsel referred to the decision of the

Supreme Court in the case of Ayaaubkhan NoorKhan Pathan v.

State of Maharashtra and others: (2013) 4 SCC 465 and on the

strength of the said decision contended that the learned Single

Judge had erred in entertaining the writ petition filed by respondent

No.1 as he had no legal right against BDA. She also referred to

the decision of the Supreme Court in the case of Bhaven

Construction v. Executive Engineer, Sardar Sarovar Narmada

Nigam Limited and another: (2022) 1 SCC 75 and contended

that the learned Single Judge erred in not considering that recourse

to proceedings under Article 226 of the Constitution of India are not

available to enforce an arbitral award.

5. We have heard the learned Senior Counsel at length.
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Prefatory Facts

6. The appellant along with her husband and her mother-in-law

were owners of certain parcels of land situated in the village of

Kommaghatta, Kengeri Hobli, Bengaluru Urban District, Bengaluru.

Some parcels of the land in question were notified for acquisition

by the BDA. Additionally, certain lands owned by the appellant

along with her mother-in-law were also notified for acquisition by

Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board [KIADB].

7. Apparently, the appellant (and her family members) had

entered into agreement(s) to sell the lands in question. In the

context of those agreement(s), one Sri. Narendra Kumar Mohta

had filed a suit being O.S.No.1585/2007 before the II Additional

Senior Civil Judge, Bangalore Rural District for seeking specific

performance and a decree of sale of certain properties which were

owned by the appellant and her mother-in-law. The appellant, her

mother-in-law and her husband were arrayed as defendants in the

said suit. The parties to the suit entered into a compromise and the

suit was decreed in terms thereon. In terms of the settlement, the

defendants had agreed to sell the properties, which were subject
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matter of the suit, to the plaintiff Sri. Narendra Kumar Mohta for an

aggregate sum of ₹ 7.5 Crores. Sri. Narendra Kumar Mohta

assigned all his rights and obligations under the decree in favour of

the respondent [hereafter MTL]. The same was also informed to

the appellant and her family members and they acknowledged the

same.

8. The parties [the appellant, her husband and her mother-in-

law Smt. Lalitha Devi Kabra] and MTL entered into an agreement

of sale dated 17.07.2014 in respect of the land in question. MTL

states that in terms of the agreement, it also paid a sum ₹ 2.25

crores to persons mentioned in clause 6.1 of the sale agreement.

9. The appellant’s mother-in-law Smt. Lalitha Devi Kabra,

expired on 11.12.2015. In the meantime, BDA also completed the

acquisition proceedings in regard to certain properties and declared

that compensation would be payable to affected landowners in the

form of developed sites. Thereafter, the appellant and her husband

entered into a Supplemental Sale Agreement dated 24.11.2017

with MTL and agreed to sell certain sites to MTL on the terms and

conditions as set out in the said agreement.
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10. In July 2019, BDA issued allotment letters in respect of

twenty one number of sites in favour of the appellant. The said

allotments were made by way of compensation for acquisition of

the lands in question. Thereafter, BDA executed sale deeds in

favour of the appellant in respect of nineteen sites. The execution

of the sale deeds in respect of the subject sites are pending.

11. It is MTL’s case that it called upon the appellant to

specifically perform her obligation and convey the nineteen sites in

its favour. However, the appellant declined to do so. However,

according to the appellant she was ready and willing to perform the

obligations under the agreement(s) but MTL was not ready and

willing to do so at the material time.

12. In view of the aforesaid dispute, MTL invoked the arbitration

agreement and sought reference of the dispute to Arbitration. It

filed a petition under Section 11 of the Arbitration Conciliation Act

[A&C Act] being CMP No. 152 of 2021 in this Court. This Court

appointed a sole arbitrator and constituted the Arbitral Tribunal for

adjudication of the disputes that had arisen between MTL on one

part and appellant and her husband on the other part, in relation to
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and in connection with the Supplemental Sale Agreement dated

24.11.2017.

13. The arbitral proceedings culminated in an arbitral award

dated 10.10.2022 [the Award] in favour of MTL. The Arbitral

Tribunal, inter alia directed the appellant and her husband to

execute the sale deeds in respect of nineteen sites that were

allotted by BDA and in respect of which BDA had executed sale

deeds in favour of the appellant. The appellant and her husband

were also directed to register sale deeds in respect of the subject

sites [Site Nos. 5544 and 5573, Kommaghatta Village, Kengeri

Hobli, Bengaluru Urban District, Bengaluru], which were described

under Items Nos. 20 and 21 in Schedule ‘B’ to the Statement of

Claims. The dispositive part of the Award is set out below:

“Award

The claims put forth by Claimant in SOC
are allowed with cost in the following terms:

(i) It is declared that the termination of the
Agreements dated 17.07.2014 and
24.11.2017 (Exs.P2 and P3) by Respondents
on 30.01.2021 through notice-Ex. P7 is
untenable, null and void;

(ii) Respondents are directed to execute the sale
deeds and get them registered in favour of
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Claimant in respect of 19 Awarded Sites
which are described at item Nos.1 to 19 in
Schedule B of SOC, for which the sale deeds
have already been executed by BDA, within a
period of 3 months from the date of this
Award;

(iii) Respondents are directed to execute and
register the sale deeds in favour of Claimant
in respect of two awarded sites viz., site
bearing Nos.5544 and 5573 carved out in Sy.
No.3 in Krishnasagara Village, each
measuring 360 sq. meters and described at
item Nos.20 and 21 of schedule-B to SOC,
within a period of two months from the date of
BDA executing the sale deeds in respect of
these two sites in favour of Respondent No.2;

(iv) Respondents shall receive ₹1.50 Crores kept
in deposit in Karnataka Bank, City Civil Court
Branch, Bangalore, along with accrued
interest therein, towards the balance amount
payable for the sale of all the 21 awarded
sites, after the execution of sale deeds in
respect of 19 Awarded Sites described at
Item Nos. 1 to 19 of Schedule B to SOC in
favour of Claimant within a period of 3
months from the date of this Award as
stipulated at (ii) above and after execution of
sale deeds in favour of Claimant in respect of
the remaining two Awarded Sites within the
time as stipulated at (iii) above.

(v) In the event of Respondents’ failure to
execute the sale deeds in respect of the
properties described in schedule-B to SOC,
within the periods as stipulated at (ii) & (iii)
above, Claimant is at liberty to enforce this
Award in accordance with Section 36 of the
Act before the jurisdictional Court.

(vi) Claimant is entitled to recover from
Respondents ₹6,72,000/- towards costs of

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this Arbitral Proceedings. Respondents shall
pay to Claimant the said costs within a period
of 3 months from the date of this Award,
failing which the amount shall carry interest at
6% per annum from the date of this Award till
the date of payment.

(vii) The order dt.31-05 2021 passed by the Court
of LXXXII Addl. City Civil & Sessions Judge,
Bangaluru (CCH.83) in Com.A.A. No.4 of
2021 restraining the Respondents from
alienating or creating third party rights in
respect of Awarded Sites till the disposal of
this Arbitral proceedings, is ordered to be
continued till all the terms of this Award are
fully satisfied.

(viii) The Counter Claims put forth by
Respondents are dismissed with costs.

(ix) Respondents shall bear their costs incurred
by them in this Arbitral Proceedings.

(x) The claimant is directed to pay requisite
stamp duty on the award as per the
provisions of Karnataka Stamp Act, 1957.
With the pronouncement and publication of
the Award, this arbitral proceeding stands
terminated as per Section 32(1) of the Act.

This award is signed and issued in 3
originals, one for the record of Arbitration &
Conciliation Centre and rests to each of the
parties.

(This award was typed by me on my personal
laptop, at my Home Office, then edited and
corrected and then signed in the Arbitration &
Conciliation Centre on this day i.e., 10th
October 2022).”

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14. The appellant preferred an application under Section 34 of

the A&C Act [Comp A.P.No.26/2023] to set aside the Award, before

the learned Commercial Court. However, the same was dismissed

in terms of judgment dated 03.03.2025. The appellant has

appealed the said judgment before this Court under Section

37(1)(c) of the A&C Act [COMP Appeal No.160/2025]. The said

appeal is stated to be pending but no interim orders have been

passed.

15. MTL has also filed the proceedings under Section 36 of the

A&C Act for enforcement of the Award.

16. In the meantime, MTL made enquiries with BDA regarding

execution of the sale deeds in respect to the subject sites. The

appellant had taken no steps to get the sale deeds in respect of the

two sites in question executed in her favour. Apprehending

protracted inaction on the part of BDA and the consequent delay in

conveyance of the two sites in question in favour of the appellant,

and in turn in its favour, MTL filed the writ petition praying that the

BDA be directed to execute sale deeds in respect of the sites in

question.

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17. As stated above, learned Single Judge allowed the appeal

and directed the BDA to execute the sale deeds in favour of the

appellant.

Reasons and Conclusions

18. It is clear from the facts obtaining in the present case that the

appellant can have no legitimate grievance against the impugned

order. There is no dispute that in terms of the allotment letters

issued to the appellant, BDA is required to execute conveyance in

respect of the subject sites in her favour. The appellant may

dispute her obligation to convey the subject sites to MTL. But, she

can have no grievance regarding conveyance of the subject sites in

her favour.

19. As noted above, the appellant has not prevailed in the

arbitration proceedings and MTL’s claim has been adjudicated in its

favour and against the appellant by the Arbitral Tribunal in terms of

the Award. The appellant has also not prevailed in her challenge to

the said award under Section 34 of the A&C Act.

20. It is clear that the objective of the appellant is to obstruct

issuance of directions to BDA to execute sale deeds in respect of

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the subject sites and delay the proceedings by enforcement of the

arbitral award. The present appeal is yet another step by the

appellant towards the said objective.

21. The learned Single Judge was persuaded to issue a direction

to the BDA to execute the sale deed in favour of the appellant, as

the said order did not create any right in favour of the MTL. This is

apparent from the following extract of the impugned order:

“8. Learned Senior counsel for the respondent No.2
vehemently oppose such a request as the petitioner is
not entitled as yet for such a direction.

9. There is an award in favour of the petitioner as noted
above and the same is also subject matter of appeal
pending consideration. The direction sought for by the
petitioner against respondent No.1-BDA is only to
execute the deeds of sale in respect of the aforesaid
two sites in favour of respondent No.2, which even
executed would not create any right, title and interest in
favour of the petitioner in any manner whatsoever until
disposal of the appeal which is stated to have been
pending consideration.

10. In view of the aforesaid fact situation of the matter,
and in view of submission made by learned counsel for
respondent No.1-BDA, respondent No.1-BDA is hereby
directed to issue an intimation to respondent No.2
specifying the date on which it would execute the deeds
of sale in her favour and shall execute the deeds of sale
accordingly. Such exercise shall be done within an
outer limit of four weeks from the date of receipt of
certified copy of this order and compliance report in this
regard be submitted to this Court on or before
24.02.2025.

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11. It is made clear that this Court has not expressed
any opinion on the rights of the parties. It is only
in furtherance to the allotment letters issued by
respondent-BDA the aforesaid direction is issued.

With the above observation writ petition is disposed of”.

22. As observed by the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court

in Bar Council of Maharashtra v. M.V. Dabholkar: (1975) 2 SCC

702:

“a person will be held to be aggrieved by a
decision if that decision is materially adverse to him.
Normally, one is required to establish that one has been
denied or deprived of something to which one is legally
entitled in order to make one “a person aggrieved”.

Again a person is aggrieved if a legal burden is imposed
on him.”

23. In our view the present appeal is liable to be dismissed on

the short ground that the appellant has no legitimate grievance in

respect of the impugned order.

24. The contention of the appellant that MTL did not have a locus

to file the writ petition is also unpersuasive. The BDA was not a

party to the Arbitral proceedings. It is also clear that it is necessary

for the appellant to secure the execution of sale deeds by BDA in

her favour in order for MTL to enforce the relief as secured before

the Arbitration. Although the MTL does not have any contractual

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arrangement with BDA and is not the allottee under the allotment

letters issued by BDA, we are unable to accept that MTL has no

vestige of interest in BDA performing its obligation to convey the

sites in question in favour of the appellant. Undeniably, MTL has

interest in ensuring that the title to subject sites are conveyed by

BDA. It is relevant to refer to the decision of the Supreme Court

in Asst. G.M., Central Bank of India v. Commr., Municipal

Corpn. for the City of Ahmedabad: (1995) 4 SCC 696, whereby

the Court held that a tenant is entitled to impugn increase in

property tax, although the levy was on the landlord. The Court

reasoned that the burden of such increase may be passed by the

landlord to the tenant. And, in the given facts, there was an

agreement between the landlord and the tenant in terms of which

the tenant had the obligation to pay the property tax.

25. It is equally relevant to refer to the decision of the Supreme

Court in case of I.D.L Chemicals v. Union of India:(1996) 5 SCC

373. The appellant in that case was engaged in manufacture of

explosives and had purchased ammonium nitrate 80% melt from

SAIL for the said purpose. Ammonium nitrate was classified as a

fertilizer and enjoyed exemption of excise duty. Subsequently, the

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Central Board of Customs and Excise reclassified ammonium

nitrate 80% melt and thus the exemption from excise was not

available. Consequently a demand of excise was raised on SAIL,

which in turn demanded the amount from the appellant. The

appellant challenged the reclassification and withdrawal of

exemption by filing a writ petition, which was dismissed. The High

Court did not entertain the petition and relegated the appellant to

file a suit. The Supreme Court faulted the decision of the High

Court and held that the appellant suffered civil consequences and

thus was entitled to maintain the writ petition.

26. The decision in the case of Ayaaubkhan NoorKhan Pathan,

reliance placed by the petitioner is misplaced in the said case.

The writ petitioner is arrayed as respondent No.5 before the

Supreme Court and sought to challenge the caste certificate issued

in favour of the appellant in that case certifying that he belongs to

Schedule Tribe. The appellant was granted employment and was

appointed as a Senior Clerk in Municipal Corporation of

Aurangabad. Prior to appointment, the appellant’s caste certificate

had been duly verified. Respondent No. 5 – [the complainant] had

filed a complaint after a lapse of 9 years challenging the validity of

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the caste certificate. The Scrutiny Committee examined the

complaint and rejected it. Thereafter, respondent No. 5 filed a writ

petition before the Bombay High Court impugning the decision of

the Scrutiny Committee to reject his complaint. The Bombay High

Court disposed of the petition without examining the merits of the

case. However, directed the Scrutiny Committee to decide afresh

after hearing all concerned parties. In the aforesaid context the

Supreme Court faulted the locus of respondent No. 5 [the

complainant], to pursue the challenge to the appellant’s caste

certificate. The Supreme Court had observed that “it was the

settled legal proposition i.e., a stranger cannot be permitted to

meddle in any proceedings”. We also consider apposite to refer to

paragraph 14 of the said decision which is set out below.

“14. This Court has consistently cautioned the Courts
against entertaining public interest litigation filed by
unscrupulous persons as such meddlers do not hesitate
to abuse the process of Court. The right of effective
access to justice, which has emerged with the new
social rights regime, must be used to serve basic
human rights, which purport to guarantee legal rights
and, therefore, a workable remedy within the framework
of the judicial system must be provided. Whenever any
public interest is invoked, the Court must examine the
case to ensure that there is in fact, genuine public
interest involved. The Court must maintain strict
vigilance to ensure that there is no abuse of the
process of Court and that, “ordinarily meddlesome

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bystanders are not granted a visa”. Many societal
pollutants create new problems of non- redressed
grievances, and the Court should make an earnest
endeavour to take up those cases, where the subjective
purpose of the lis justifies the need for it. (Vide P.S.R.
Sadhanantham v. Arimachalam : (1980) 3 SCC 141,
Dalip Singh v. State of U.P.: (2010) 2 SCC 114, State of
Uttaranchal v. Balwant Singh Chaufal
: (2010) 3 SCC
402 and Amar Singh v. Union of India: (2011) 7 SCC

69).”

27. Clearly, in the facts of the said case, the complainant had no

locus to pursue the challenge to the caste certificate issued to the

appellant. It had not suffered any legal injury and had no personal

interest in the subject matter. In the present case, MTL is rightly

interested in ensuring that BDA performs its obligation and

executes the conveyance deed of the subject property in favour of

the appellant. Smt. Jayna Kothari’s contention that the BDA must

have a direct obligation towards MTL for maintaining the writ

petition is unsustainable.

28. The reliance placed by the learned Senior Counsel

appearing for the appellant in the case of Bhaven Constructions

(supra) is also misplaced. In that case [Bhaven Construction]

appointed an arbitrator. The respondent [Sardar Sarovar Narmada

Nigam Limited] had challenged the jurisdiction of the Arbitral

Tribunal by filing an application under Section 16 of the A&C Act,

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which came to be rejected by the Arbitral Tribunal. Respondent

No. 1 preferred to file a writ petition under Article 226 and 227 of

the Constitution of India before the Hon’ble High Court of Gujarat,

which was rejected. The High Court held that the writ petition

interdicting the arbitral proceedings, was not maintainable and it

was necessary for the petitioner to wait till the arbitral award is

passed by the Arbitral Tribunal to challenge the same under

Section 34 of the A&C Act. However, the Division Bench of the

Court set aside the said order on an appeal preferred by the

respondent against the decision of the learned Single Judge. The

appellant (Bhaven Constructions) appealed the said decision of the

Division Bench before the Supreme Court. In the aforesaid context,

the Supreme Court had referred to Section 5 of the A&C Act and

faulted the Division Bench in interfering with the arbitral process.

The Supreme Court observed that:

“If the Courts are allowed to interfere with the
arbitral process beyond the ambit of the
enactment, then the efficiency of the process will
be dismissed”.

29. According to Smt. Jayna Kothari, the writ petition filed by

MTL amounts to interfering with the arbitral process. In our view

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the said contention is insubstantial. The writ petition filed by the

MTL does not in any manner interfere with the arbitral process. The

Arbitral Tribunal has delivered the Award. The appellant’s

application under Section 34 of the A&C Act to set aside the award

has been rejected. The appellant has filed an appeal under Section

37(1)(c) of the A&C Act, which is pending. And MTL has initiated

proceedings under Section 36 of the A&C Act to enforce the

Award. The said proceedings continue and are not prejudiced in

any manner. Neither the petition preferred by MTL nor the

impugned order interferes in any manner with the arbitral process.

The impugned order does not affect the appellant adversely in any

manner. In the event the appellant prevails in its appeal under

Section 37(1)(c) of the A&C Act and the Award is set aside, the

appellant would not be required to convey the sites in question in

favour of MTL. The impugned judgment does not adversely affect

the appellant’s rights in any manner.

30. The impugned order is not materially adverse to the

appellant. The appellant has not been denied or deprived of

anything that she is legally entitled to. No legal burden is imposed

on her. It is apparent that the entire purpose of resisting the petition

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and filing the present appeal is an attempt to unfairly prejudice MTL

by delaying the inevitable consequences of not prevailing in the

arbitration, in the event the appellant fails in its appeal against the

decision of the learned Commercial Court rejecting the appellant’s

application to set aside the Award.

31. In our view, the present appeal is an unjustified imposition on

judicial time.

32. In view of the above, the appeal is dismissed with costs

quantified at ₹ 20,000/-. The appellant shall deposit the costs with

the Karnataka State High Court Legal Services Committee within a

period of two weeks from date.

Sd/-

(VIBHU BAKHRU)
CHIEF JUSTICE

Sd/-

(C M JOSHI)
JUDGE

SD
List No.: 1 Sl No.: 40

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