In Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. Versus SAW Pipes Ltd. AIR 2003 SC 2629 : (2003) 3 SCR 691 : (2003) 5 SCC 705 : JT 2003 (4) SC 171 : (2003) 4 SCALE 92
it is held that:-
A. (1) The Court can set aside the arbitral award under Section 34(2) of the Act if the party making the application furnishes proof that-
(i) a party was under some incapacity; or
(ii) the arbitration agreement is not valid under the law to which the parties have subjected it or, failing any indication thereon, under the law for the time being in force; or
(iii) the party making the application was not given proper notice of the appointment of an arbitrator or of the arbitral proceedings or was otherwise unable to present his case; or
(iv) the arbitral award deals with a dispute not contemplated by or not falling within the terms of the submission to arbitration, or it contains decisions on matters beyond the scope of the submission to arbitration;
(2) The Court may set aside the award:-
(i) (a) if the composition of the arbitral tribunal was not in accordance with the agreement of the parties;
(b) failing such agreement, the composition of the arbitral tribunal was not in accordance with Part I of the Act:
(ii) if the arbitral procedure was not in accordance with:-
(a) the agreement of the parties; or
(b) failing such agreement, the arbitral procedure was not in accordance with Part I of the Act.
However, exception for setting aside the award on the ground of composition of arbitral tribunal or illegality of arbitral procedure is that the agreement should not be in conflict with the provisions of Part I of the Act from which parties cannot derogate.
(c) If the award passed by the arbitral tribunal is in contravention of provisions of the Act or any other substantive law governing the parties or is against the terms of the contract.
(3) The award could be set aside if it is against the public policy of India, that is to say, if it is contrary to:-
(a) fundamental policy of Indian law;
(b) the interest of India; or
(c) justice or morality; or
(d) if it is patently illegal.
(4) It could be challenged:-
(a) as provided under Section 13(5); and
(b) Section 16(6) of the Act.
B. (1) The impugned award requires to be set aside mainly on the grounds:-
(i) there is specific stipulation in the agreement that the time and date of delivery of the goods was the essence of the contract;
(ii) in case of failure to deliver the goods within the period fixed for such delivery in the schedule, ONGC was entitled to recover from the contractor liquidated damages as agreed;
(iii) it was also explicitly understood that the agreed liquidated damages were genuine pre-estimate of damages;
(iv) on the request of the respondent to extend the time limit for supply of goods, ONGC informed specifically that time was extended but stipulated liquidated damages as agreed would be recovered;
(v) liquidated damages for delay in supply of goods were to be recovered by paying authorities from the bills for payment of cost of material supplied by the contractor;
(vi) there is nothing on record to suggest that stipulation for recovering liquidated damages was by way of penalty or that the said sum was in any way unreasonable;
(vii) in certain contracts, it is impossible to assess the damages or prove the same. Such situation is taken care by Sections 73 and 74 of the Contract Act and in the present case by specific terms of the contract. [Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd. Versus SAW Pipes Ltd. AIR 2003 SC 2629 : (2003) 3 SCR 691 : (2003) 5 SCC 705 : JT 2003 (4) SC 171 : (2003) 4 SCALE 92 ]
