Unreviewed source edition · CENTRAL catalog context

The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996

Source: official India Code PDF · catalog record. Fetched 2026-10-19T23:06:44Z. SHA-256 6fb32e5ffe2581740345d948c1e362bfbb5018ca7958932cde8ca92436485b6c.

Legal currency, territorial applicability and extraction fidelity are unverified. Catalog checksum/size differs from the delivered PDF; both identities are retained. Sections, state notes and footnotes share these physical pages. Compare the full original image.

Search source pages

Section locators

Locators point into full source pages; they are not approved section transcriptions. Original omission, repeal and amendment markers are retained.

1. Section 1 — Short title, extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Arbitration and
2. Section 2 — Definitions.—(1) In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,—
3. Section 3 — Receipt of written communications.—(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties,—
4. Section 4 — Waiver of right to object.—A party who knows that— aC
5. Section 5 — Extent of judicial intervention.—Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the
6. Section 6 — Administrative assistance.—In order to facilitate the conduct of the arbitral proceedings, the
7. Section 7 — Arbitration agreement.—(1) In this Part, “arbitration agreement” means an agreement by the
8. Section 8 — Power to refer parties to arbitration where there is an arbitration agreement.— 1 [(1) A
9. Section 9 — Interim measures, etc., by Court.—1[(1)] A party may, before or during arbitral proceedings or at
10. Section 10 — Number of arbitrators.—(1) The parties are free to determine the number of arbitrators,
11. Section 11 — Appointment of arbitrators.—(1) A person of any nationality may be an arbitrator, unless
12. Section 11A — Power of Central Government to amend Fourth Schedule.—(1) If the Central Government
13. Section 12 — Grounds for challenge.—4[(1) When a person is approached in connection with his possible
14. Section 13 — Challenge procedure.—(1) Subject to sub-section (4), the parties are free to agree on a procedure
15. Section 14 — Failure or impossibility to act.—(1) 2[The mandate of an arbitrator shall terminate and he shall
16. Section 15 — Termination of mandate and substitution of arbitrator.—(1) In addition to the circumstances
17. Section 16 — Competence of arbitral tribunal to rule on its jurisdiction.—(1) The arbitral tribunal may rule
18. Section 17 — Interim measures ordered by arbitral tribunal.—(1) A party may, during the arbitral
19. Section 18 — Equal treatment of parties.—The parties shall be treated with equality and each party shall be
20. Section 19 — Determination of rules of procedure.—(1) The arbitral tribunal shall not be bound by the Code
21. Section 20 — Place of arbitration.—(1) The parties are free to agree on the place of arbitration.
22. Section 21 — Commencement of arbitral proceedings.—Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the arbitral
23. Section 22 — Language.—(1) The parties are free to agree upon the language or languages to be used in the
24. Section 23 — Statements of claim and defence.—(1) Within the period of time agreed upon by the parties or
25. Section 24 — Hearings and written proceedings.—(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the arbitral
26. Section 25 — Default of a party.—Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, where, without showing sufficient
27. Section 26 — Expert appointed by arbitral tribunal.—(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, the arbitral
28. Section 27 — Court assistance in taking evidence.—(1) The arbitral tribunal, or a party with the approval of
29. Section 28 — Rules applicable to substance of dispute.—(1) Where the place of arbitration is situate in
30. Section 29 — Decision making by panel of arbitrators.—(1) Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, in arbitral
31. Section 29A — Time limit for arbitral award.— 3 [(1) The award in matters other than international
32. Section 29B — Fast track procedure.—(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in this Act, the parties to an
33. Section 30 — Settlement.—(1) It is not incompatible with an arbitration agreement for an arbitral tribunal to
34. Section 31 — Form and contents of arbitral award.—(1) An arbitral award shall be made in writing and shall
35. Section 31A — Regime for costs.—(1) In relation to any arbitration proceeding or a proceeding under any of
36. Section 32 — Termination of proceedings.—(1) The arbitral proceedings shall be terminated by the final
37. Section 33 — Correction and interpretation of award; additional award.—(1) Within thirty days from the
38. Section 34 — Application for setting aside arbitral award.—(1) Recourse to a Court against an arbitral award
39. Section 35 — Finality of arbitral awards.—Subject to this Part an arbitral award shall be final and binding on
40. Section 36 — Enforcement.—(1) Where the time for making an application to set aside the arbitral award
41. Section 37 — Appealable orders.—(1) 2[Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time
42. Section 38 — Deposits.—(1) The arbitral tribunal may fix the amount of the deposit or supplementary deposit,
43. Section 39 — Lien on arbitral award and deposits as to costs.—(1) Subject to the provisions of
44. Section 40 — Arbitration agreement not to be discharged by death of party thereto.—(1) An arbitration
45. Section 41 — Provisions in case of insolvency.—(1) Where it is provided by a term in a contract to which an
46. Section 42 — Jurisdiction.—Notwithstanding anything contained elsewhere in this Part or in any other law for
47. Section 42A — Confidentiality of information.—Notwithstanding anything contained by any other law for
48. Section 42B — Protection of action taken in good faith.—No suit or other legal proceedings shall lie against
49. Section 43 — Limitations.—(1) The Limitation Act, 1963 (36 of 1963), shall apply to arbitrations as it applies
50. Section 43A — Definitions. In this Part, unless the context otherwise requires,—
51. Section 43B — Establishment and incorporation of Arbitration Council of India.—(1) The Central
52. Section 43C — Composition of Council.–– (1) The Council shall consist of the following Members, namely:––
53. Section 43D — Duties and functions of Council.––(1) It shall be the duty of the Council to take all such
54. Section 43E — Vacancies, etc., not to invalidate proceedings of Council.—No act or proceeding of the
55. Section 43F — Resignation of Members.—The Chairperson or the Full-time or Part-time Member may, by
56. Section 43G — Removal of Member.––(1) The Central Government may, remove a Member from his office if
57. Section 43H — Appointment of experts and constitution of Committees thereof.––The Council may,
58. Section 43-I — General norms for grading of arbitral institutions.––The Council shall make grading of
59. Section 43J — Norms for accreditation of arbitrators.—The qualifications, experience and norms for
60. Section 43K — Depository of awards.––The Council shall maintain an electronic depository of arbitral awards
61. Section 43L — Power to make regulations by Council.––The Council may, in consultation with the Central
62. Section 43M — Chief Executive Officer.––(1) There shall be a Chief Executive Officer of the Council, who
63. Section 44 — Definition.—In this Chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, “foreign award” means an
64. Section 45 — Power of judicial authority to refer parties to arbitration.—Notwithstanding anything
65. Section 46 — When foreign award binding.—Any foreign award which would be enforceable under this Chapter
66. Section 47 — Evidence.—(1) The party applying for the enforcement of a foreign award shall, at the time of the
67. Section 48 — Conditions for enforcement of foreign awards.—(1) Enforcement of a foreign award may be
68. Section 49 — Enforcement of foreign awards.—Where the Court is satisfied that the foreign award is
69. Section 50 — Appealable orders.—(1) 1[Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time
70. Section 51 — Saving.—Nothing in this Chapter shall prejudice any rights which any person would have had of
71. Section 52 — Chapter II not to apply.—Chapter II of this Part shall not apply in relation to foreign awards to
72. Section 53 — Interpretation.—In this Chapter “foreign award” means an arbitral award on differences relating
73. Section 54 — Power of judicial authority to refer parties to arbitration.—Notwithstanding anything
74. Section 55 — Foreign awards when binding.—Any foreign award which would be enforceable under this
75. Section 56 — Evidence.—(1) The party applying for the enforcement of a foreign award shall, at the time of
76. Section 57 — Conditions for enforcement of foreign awards.—(1) In order that a foreign award may be
77. Section 58 — Enforcement of foreign awards.—Where the Court is satisfied that the foreign award is
78. Section 59 — Appealable orders.—(1) An appeal shall lie from the order refusing—
79. Section 60 — Saving.—Nothing in this Chapter shall prejudice any rights which any person would have had of
80. Section 61 — Application and scope.—(1) Save as otherwise provided by any law for the time being in force
81. Section 62 — Commencement of conciliation proceedings.—(1) The party initiating conciliation shall send to
82. Section 63 — Number of conciliators.—(1) There shall be one conciliator unless the parties agree that there
83. Section 64 — Appointment of conciliators.—(1) Subject to sub-section (2),—
84. Section 65 — Submission of statements to conciliator.—(1) The conciliator, upon his appointment, may
85. Section 66 — Conciliator not bound by certain enactments.—The conciliator is not bound by the Code of
86. Section 67 — Role of conciliator.—(1) The conciliator shall assist the parties in an independent and impartial
87. Section 68 — Administrative assistance.—In order to facilitate the conduct of the conciliation proceedings, the
88. Section 69 — Communication between conciliator and parties.—(1) The conciliator may invite the parties to
89. Section 70 — Disclosure of information.—When the conciliator receives factual information concerning the
90. Section 71 — Co-operation of parties with conciliator.—The parties shall in good faith co-operate with the
91. Section 72 — Suggestions by parties for settlement of dispute.—Each party may, on his own initiative or at
92. Section 73 — Settlement agreement.—(1) When it appears to the conciliator that there exist elements of a
93. Section 74 — Status and effect of settlement agreement.—The settlement agreement shall have the same
94. Section 75 — Confidentiality.—Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in
95. Section 76 — Termination of conciliation proceedings.—The conciliation proceedings shall be terminated—
96. Section 77 — Resort to arbitral or judicial proceedings.—The parties shall not initiate, during the
97. Section 78 — Costs.—(1) Upon termination of the conciliation proceedings, the conciliator shall fix the costs of
98. Section 79 — Deposits.—(1) The conciliator may direct each party to deposit an equal amount as an advance
99. Section 80 — Role of conciliator in other proceedings.—Unless otherwise agreed by the parties,—
100. Section 81 — Admissibility of evidence in other proceedings.—The parties shall not rely on or introduce as
101. Section 82 — Power of High Court to make rules.—The High Court may make rules consistent with this Act
102. Section 83 — Removal of difficulties.—(1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act,
103. Section 84 — Power to make rules.—(1) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette,
104. Section 85 — Repeal and savings.—(1) The Arbitration (Protocol and Convention) Act, 1937 (6 of 1937), the
105. Section 86 — Repeal and saving.—(1) The Arbitration and Conciliation (Third) Ordinance, 1996 (Ord.27 of
106. Section 87 — Effect of arbitral and related court proceedings commenced prior to 23rd October,

Schedule locators

Original source headings, including omitted material; table layout remains available in the page image.

1. THE FIRST SCHEDULE — physical page 40
2. THE SECOND SCHEDULE — physical page 44
3. THE THIRD SCHEDULE — physical page 45
4. THE FOURTH SCHEDULE — physical page 47
5. THE FIFTH SCHEDULE — physical page 48
6. THE SIXTH SCHEDULE — physical page 50
7. THE SEVENTH SCHEDULE — physical page 51
8. THE EIGHTH SCHEDULE — physical page 52

Schedules, state notes and appended material

• Source Edition Cover Date: page 1
• List Of Amending Acts: page 2
• Territorial And Commencement Footnotes · section 1: page 7
• Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (UTs) State Amendment · section 8A, 8B: page 10
• Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (UTs) State Amendment Continuation · section 8A, 8B: page 11
• Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (UTs) State Amendment · section 29A: page 20
• Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (UTs) State Amendment · section 34: page 25
• Bihar State Amendment · section 43: page 28
• Source Insertion And Commencement Footnote · section 43A, 43B, 43C: page 28
• Source Insertion Footnote Not Currentness Approval · section 87: page 39
• Omitted Eighth Schedule: page 52
• Statement Of Objects And Reasons Not Operative Provisions: page 53

Every physical page

1. Page 1
2. Page 2
3. Page 3
4. Page 4
5. Page 5
6. Page 6
7. Page 7
8. Page 8
9. Page 9
10. Page 10
11. Page 11
12. Page 12
13. Page 13
14. Page 14
15. Page 15
16. Page 16
17. Page 17
18. Page 18
19. Page 19
20. Page 20
21. Page 21
22. Page 22
23. Page 23
24. Page 24
25. Page 25
26. Page 26
27. Page 27
28. Page 28
29. Page 29
30. Page 30
31. Page 31
32. Page 32
33. Page 33
34. Page 34
35. Page 35
36. Page 36
37. Page 37
38. Page 38
39. Page 39
40. Page 40
41. Page 41
42. Page 42
43. Page 43
44. Page 44
45. Page 45
46. Page 46
47. Page 47
48. Page 48
49. Page 49
50. Page 50
51. Page 51
52. Page 52
53. Page 53