Holding

An executing court cannot go beyond the terms of the arbitral award; a decree granting post‑award interest not awarded is beyond its jurisdiction and is a nullity.

Summary

Coal Linker entered into a work contract with Coal India and, after disputes, the matter was referred to arbitration. The arbitrator awarded the appellant a sum and granted interest for the pre‑reference period and for the pendency of the arbitration, but expressly omitted any interest from the date of the award to the date of the decree. The appellant filed an application under Section 17 of the Arbitration Act, 1940 for a decree in terms of the award, and the Calcutta High Court initially granted a decree that added interest at 18% for the post‑award period. The Division Bench set aside that decree, holding it beyond the arbitrator’s award. On appeal, the Supreme Court affirmed that the executing court cannot exceed the award; since no objection under Section 30 was made, the decree granting post‑award interest was ultra vires and a nullity. The appeal was dismissed.

Issues considered

Can an executing court grant interest for the period from the date of the arbitral award to the date of the decree when such interest was not awarded and no objection under Section 30 of the Arbitration Act, 1940 was filed?

Legislation cited

Arbitration Act, 1940s. 17, s. 29, s. 30
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908s. 47

Subjects

ArbitrationArbitral awardInterestPendente lite interestSection 17Section 30DecreeJurisdictionNullityExecution of decree

Judgment

(2009) 14 (ADDL.) S.C.R. 155

COAL LINKER A
;.
v.
COAL INDIA LIMITED
(Civil Appeal No. 1146 of 2003)
SEPTEMBER 7, 2009
B
[MARKANDEY KATJU AND ASOK
KUMAR GANGULY, JJ.]
)-

Arbitration Act, 1940 - ss. 29, 17 and 30 - Pendente lite
interest .,.., Power of court to grant - Arbitrator while passing c
award granting interest for pre award period but not for post
award period-from. the date of award till the date of the decree
- -Awardee instead of filing objection to the award uls. 30, filing
application u/s. 17 for decree in terms of the award -
... >·"' Executing court passing decree and directing payment of D
interest from the date of award till the date of decree -
Correctness of - Held: Not correct - Executing court could
not have gone beyond the award and granted interest for the
post award period - Thus, it went beyond its jurisdiction and
passed decree which is a nullity.
E
Parties entered into a work contract. Disputes arose
~- between the parties and was referred to the arbitrator.
Arbitrator passed an award and granted interest to the
appellant for the pre-reference period and during
pendency of the arbitration proceedings but not after the F
date of award till the date of the decree. Respondent
challenged the same but was unsuccessful. Appellant
filed application u/s. 17 of the Arbitration Act, 1940 for
passing decree in terms of the award. Single Judge of
High Court passed a decree, confirming the award. It G
directed payment of interest from the date of the award
till the date of the decree. Both the Single Judge and the
Division Bench of High Court set aside the order of the

155
156 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 14 (ADDL.) S.C.R.

A executing court directing payment of interest from the
date of the award till the date of the decree. Hence the
' present appeal.

Dismissing the appeal, the Court

B HELD: In the instant case, interest has been granted
by the arbitrator in the award for the first two periods-pre
reference period and interest during pendency of the
arbitration proceedings. But interest has not been
granted by the arbitrator in the award for the last period,
C from the date of award till the date of the decree. The
awardee-appellant filed an application under section 17
of the Arbitration Act, 1940 for pronouncing a judgment
in terms of the award. It did not file any objection u/s. 30
of the Act to the award about denial of such interest. So
o there is no scope for the executing court to· go beyond
the award and grant interest for the post award period
which was not granted in the award. The executing court
has gone beyond the award and thus had gone beyond
its jurisdiction and passed a decree which thus, becomes
E a nullity. [Paras·9, 11, 13~ 14, 15 and 17) [159-C-D; 160-B,;
161-E-G; 162-8-C)

Visakapatnam Municipal Corporation vs. K.
Satyanarayana and Co. (1995) 2 SCC 385, relied on.

F Executive Engineer (Irrigation), Balimela and Ors. vs.
Abhaduta Jena and Ors. (1988) 1 SCC 418; Gujarat Water
Supply and Sewerage Board vs. Unique Erectors (Gujarat) (P)
Ltd. and Anr. (1989) 1 SCC 532, distinguished.

G Secretary, Irrigation Department, Government of Orissa
and Ors. vs. G.C. Roy (1992) 1 SCC 508, referred to.

Case Law Reference:

(1988) 1 sec 418 Distinguished. Para 11
H
COAL LINKER v. COAL INDIA LIMITED 157

(1989) 1 sec 532 Distinguished. Para 11 A

(1992) 1 sec 508 Referred to. Para 12

(1995) 2 sec 385 Relied on. Para 16

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. B
1146 of 2003.

,l. From the Judgment & Order dated 8.3.2001 of the High
Court at Calcutta in G.A. No. 2489 of 1996.

K.V. Vishwanathan, Amit Bansal, Navin Chawla for the c
Appellant.

Mathai M. Paikeday, Sunil Roy for the Respondent.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
D
GANGULY, J. 1. The appellant herein, a proprietary
concern, was given a work order on or about 5.7.1982 by Coal
India Limited (hereinafter referred to as "the respondent") for
transportation of coal/coke by road to the respondent's
stockyard at Kanpur and also for operation of the said E
stockyard.

2. Pursuant to such work order a formal agreement was
entered into between the appellant and the respondent and the
said agreement contained an arbitration clause. 'As disputes
and differences arose between the parties, a reference was F
made to the sole arbitrator for resolving the dispute and an
award dated 30.4.1993 was passed awarding an amount of
Rs.51, 77,600/- in favour of the appellant. Appellant was
granted interest of Rs.11,39,560/- calculated at the rate of 15%
from October, 1990 to April, 1993. Interest was also granted G
-f for the pre-reference period to the extent of Rs.10,97,250/- but
in the award no interest was granted from the date of the award
till the date of the decree.
3. Challenging the said award, the respondent filed an H
158 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 14 (ADDL.) S.C.R.

A application, but the same was dismissed by the learned Single Ao

Judge of the Calcutta High Court by a judgment and order
dated 3.11.1995. Thereafter, an appeal was preferred before
the Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court and the Division
Bench also dismissed the appeal of the respondent on
B 25.04.1996. Thereafter, a decree was passed by the learned
Single Judge of the Calcutta High Court confirming the said
award. The said decree directed payment of interest@ 18%
-'
per annum from the date of the said award till the date of the ,.
decree.
c 4. The respondent filed a special leave petition before this
Court challenging the order of the Division Bench of the
Calcutta High Court dated 25.04.1996. On that special leave
petition, this Court by an order dated 10.5. ~ 996 directed the
respondent to deposit an amount of Rs.40 lakhs within 6 weeks
_,.. ....._
D with the Registrar, Original Side of the Calcutta High Court and "
permitted the appellant to withdraw the same on furnishing a
bank guarantee. Ultimately, by order dated 22.7.1996 this
Court dismissed the special leave petition filed by the
respondent.
E
5. Thereafter, execution proceeding was initiated by ~he
appellant for execution of the unsatisfied portion of the decree -i
dated 2.5.1996 Against the said execution proceeding, an ~

F
application was filed by the respondent under Section 47 of the
Code of Civil Procedure contending inter alia that the decree
dated 2.5.1996 insofar as the same directs payment of interest
from the date of the award till the date of the decree is a nullity
and the same is not executable against the respondent.
..
6. Learned Single Judge of the Calcutta High Court by
G judgment and order dated 13.12.1996 held that insofar as the
t-
decree was passed providing for grant of interest from the date ·
of the award till the passing of the decree, is a nullity and is
inexecutable and the appellant was directed to refund the ~

'\
amount representing the same pendente lite interest. Against
H

}
COAL LINKER v. COAL INDIA LIMITED 159
[ASOK KUMAR GANGULY, J.]
the same judgment and order the present appellant filed an A
appeal before the Calcutta High Court and the Division Bench
of the Calcutta High Court by judgment and order dated
8.3.2001 was pleased to dismiss the appeal.

7. Challenging the said appeal this special leave petition
B
has been filed.

8. The question in this appeal is whether the Division
Bench was correct in setting aside the order of the Executing
Court directing payment of i.nterest at the rate of 18% from the
date of the award till the date of the decree. c
9. Few facts of the case are relevant to understand issues
involved herein. Admittedly, in the award, interest from the date
of the award till the date of the decree has not been granted.
What has been granted is pre-reference interest and the interest
D
' from October 1990 to April 1993 i.e the interest during the
pendency of the arbitration proceedings. The award is dated
30.04.1993. No post award interest has been granted.

10. The. appellant herein-the awardee did not raise any
objection under Section 30 of the Arbitration Act (hereinafter E
referred to as "the Act") to the award about denial of such
interest. On the other hand, the appellant filed an application
under Section 17 of the Act for passing of a decree in terms
of the award. Therefore, the Executing Court while passing a
decree in terms of the award should not go beyond what has F
been given in the award.

11. In this connection certain decisions have been cited
which are not strictly attracted in the facts situation of the instant
case. Reference was made to the decision of this Court in the
G
case of Executive Engineer (Irrigation), Ba/imela and others
-t vs. Abhaduta Jena and others - (1988) 1 SCC 418. In that
case the question was about the competence of arbitrator to
award interest on a reference made without intervention of the
Court and the three-Judge Bench of this Court held that in cases
H
160 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [2009] 14 (ADDL.) S.C.R.

A coming after the commencement of the Interest Act of 1978 an
arbitrator has the same power as the Court to award interest
up to the date of institution of the proceedings. In cases which
arose prior to the commencement of the Interest Act 1978, the
arbitrator has no such power under provisions of the previous
8 Interest Act of 1839. In the instant case, as pointed out above,
there is no dispute about the competence of the arbitrator to
grant interest. The arbitrator, as noted above, granted interest
but did not grant any interest after the date of the award till the
date of the decree. Therefore, the decision in Abhaduta Jena
C (supra) has no relevance. Reference was also made to the
decision of this Court in the case of Gujarat Water Supply and
Sewerage Board vs. Unique Erectors (Gujarat) (P) Ltd. and
another - (1989) 1 SCC 532, wherein a two-Judge Bench of
this Court relied on the previous decision of this Court in ·
Abhaduta Jena (supra) and dealt with the aspect of grant of
D interest by the arbitrator in paragraphs 14, 15 and 16 of the
said judgment. In Gujarat Water Supply (supra), this Court held
that an arbitrator can award. the interest which can cover three
periods namely; (a) the perio,d prior to the commencement of
the arbitration proceeding, (b) period during which the
E arbitration proceeding was pending and (c) the period between
the date of the award to the date of the decree i.e. the post
award period. The learned Judge has held that in the light of
the decision in At. 1aduta Jena (supra) the arbitrator could not
have awarded interest "for the period between August 22, 1984
F and till the date of the publication of the award i.e. July 1985".
That was the period during which the arbitration proceeding
was pending. Ultimately, the Court deleted the interest awarded
by the arbitrator for the period from August 22, 1984 till the date
of the award. (See para 16 of the report). It may be again
G pointed out here that in this case the award in which interest
has been given by the arbitrator has been finally upheld.
Therefore, the principles decided in Gujarat Water Supply
(supra) have no application to the facts of the case.

12. However, in the case of Secretary, Irrigation
H
COAL LINKER v. COAL INDIA LIMITED 161
[ASOK KUMAR GANGULY, J.]
.i- Department, Government of Orissa and others vs. G.C. Roy A
- ( 1992) 1 SCC 508, the Constitution Bench of this Court
-· overruled the decision of the Abhaduta Jena (supra) and held
on construction of Section 14 and 29 of the said Act that the
arbitrator can 9rant pendente lite interest. In paragraph 8 in the
judgment of G.C. Roy (supra) the Constitution Bench of this B
Court clearly mentioned three periods for which the question
of award of interest by the arbitrator may arise. The said periods
have been clearly pointed out in paragraph 8 of G. C. Roy
(supra) and the same is set out as below:
C.
"... (i) for the period commencing from the date of dispute
l._.
till the date the arbitrator enters upon the reference; (ii) for
the period commencing from the date of the arbitrator's
entering upon reference till the date of making the award;
< and (iii) for the period commencing from the date of
,;
making of the award till the date- the award is made the D
rule of the court or till the date of realisation, whichever is
earlier... "

13. Admittedly, in the instant case interest has been
granted by the arbitrator in the award for the first two periods. E
But interest has not been granted by the arbitrator in the award
'\ for the last period.

14. As noted above, the awardee-appellant herein, filed
an application under Section 17 of the Act for pronouncing a
F
judgment in terms of the award. So there is no scope for the
_Executing Court to go beyond.the award and grant interest for
the post award period which was not granted in the award.

15. Here the Executing Court has gone beyond the award
and thus had gone beyond its jurisdiction and passed a decree G
-i which thus becomes a nul,lity.

16. Similar principles have been laid down by this Court
in the case of Visakapatnam Municipal Corporation vs. K.
Satyanarayana & Co. - (1995) 2 SCC 385. In paragraph 3 of
H
162 SUPREME COURT REPORTS {2009] 14 (ADDL.) S.C.R.

A the report, the Court held: ,I,

"On the admitted facts, viz., that the respondent had not
preferred any objection to the award in question under
Section 30 of the Act and, in fact, had applied for a decree
B
in terms of the award, the trial court could not have granted
pendente lite interest which was not a part of the award.
To that extent, the trial court had exceeded its jurisdiction".
-I
17. The same facts are present here. Here also the
appellant herein has not filed any objection under Section 30
c ·of the Act to the award. Rather the appellant had applied for a
decree in terms of the award under Section 17 of the Act.
18. In view of such clear factual position, we find no merit
in this appeal and which is accordingly dismissed. There is no
D order as to costs. >
N.J. Appeal dismissed.