STRATEGIC INFRA SERVICES PVT. LTD. Vs. MPHASIS LIMITED

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Preferred under Sec. 37(1)(c) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, read with Rule 11 of the High Court of Karnataka Arbitration (Proceedings before the Court) Rules, 2001, the present appeal is directed against judgment and order dtd. 25/1/2024 passed by learned LXXXII Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge, Bengaluru (Commercial Court), whereby Commercial Arbitration Petition No.37 of 2020 filed by the appellant herein-M/s. Strategic Outsourcing Services Pvt. Ltd., under Sec. 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (hereinafter referred to as ' The Arbitration Act, 1996 '), came to be dismissed.

(2.) In challenging the aforesaid order of the court below, in turn, the appellant is aggrieved by the award of the Arbitrator dtd. 26/11/2019, passed in Arbitration Case No.51 of 2019.

(3.) As stated above, genesis and the basis of the dispute which arose between the parties was Settlement Agreement dtd. 15/7/2016. Noticing the facts in this regard standing in the background, the bids were invited by National Institute of Electronics and Information Technology (NIELIT), which is an autonomous scientific body of the Department of Electronics, Ministry of Communication, for the Data Digitalization Services for Creation of Aadhaar Enrolment and National Population Register For the Residents of Rural Area, in which bid process, the appellant herein was selected as successful bidder. The respondent-Mphasis Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as the 'claimant') entered into agreements for purchase in respect of the portions of work carried out in the States of Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.