Holding

An arbitral award need not be a speaking or reasoned award, and absent an error apparent on its face, inconsistencies must be read harmoniously; consequently the award is valid and cannot be set aside.

Issues considered

The award must be a speaking or reasoned award to be valid
Whether the contract or its clauses are incorporated into the award by reference
Whether the arbitrator acted without jurisdiction by not considering the pleadings
Whether there is an error or inconsistency apparent on the face of the award that warrants setting it aside
Whether the High Court was correct in remitting the matter for a fresh award

Legislation cited

Arbitration Act, 1940s. 20, s. 21

Subjects

ArbitrationArbitral awardSpeaking awardReasoned awardInconsistencyJurisdictionSetting aside awardArbitration Act 1940Contract breachAward validity

Judgment

JAJODIA (OVERSEAS) PVT. LTD. A
-yf v.
THE INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION OF
, ORISSA LTD.
AND
VICE VERSA B
JANUARY 15, 1993
-·--/ [K. JAYACHANDRA REDDY AND S.P. BHARUCHA, JJ.]

Aribitration Ac~ 1940-S.21>-AriJitration award-Held, on facts of the C
case that award not a speaking or reasoned award, agreement not incorporated
by reference in the award and no inconsistency on the face of the award.

IDCO and JOPL entered into an agreement wbereunder IDCO
J-._ agreed to supply to JOPL 5000 tens of MS rounds for export on terms and
conditions mentioned therein. The goods were not supplied. By a letter D
dated September 12, 1969, IDCO cancelled the agreement and intimated
to JOPL that Its offer which had culminated in the agreement, shonld be
treated as withdrawn. Some correspondence followed. Thereafter JOPL's
claim for damages against IDCO for breach of contract was referred to
the Chief Secretary, who was named in the agreement, for arbitration. He E
declined to act as arbitrator. An arbitrator was thereafter appointed lJy
the Subordinate Judge, Bhubaneswar under S.20 or the Arbitration Act,
1940. He gave his award on September 24, 1985.

In the award the arbitrator briefty stated the facts, the issues settled
for adJudlcation and that the parties had produced a large number or F
documents, examined witnesses and advanced elaborate arguments.
Having carefully considered them, he set out the conclusions and awarded
JOPL Rs. 11,00,344 with pendente lite interest @ 6%.

IDCO challenged the award before the Subordinate Judge,
Bhubaneswar who dismissed the petition and made the award a rule or the G
Court. In appeal before the Orissa High Conrt, the learned Judge rejected
all contentions of IDCO except one namely that in answering three issues
the arbitrator bad arrived at inconsistent conclusions apparent on the
face of the award, which bad a bearing on the question or awarding or
damages. He therefore directed that the records be sent back to the H
229
230 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1993] 1 S.C.R.

A arbitrator for making a fresh award.

Cross appeals were filed in the Supreme Court. JOPL contended
that there was no inconsistency on. the face · of the award which vitiated IL
·For IDCO, it was contended that the award was bad in law, and in any
event the High Court was in error in sending the matter back to the
B arbitrator for making a fresh award.
Dismissing the appeal of IODC, Ibis Court,

HELD: 1. A speaking or reasoned award is one which discusses or
sets out the reasons which led the arbitrator to make the award. Setting
C out the conclusions upon the questions or issues that arise in arbitration
proceedings without discussing the reasons for coming to these con·
clusions does not make an award a reasoned or speaking award. The
arbitrator has in the award only answered the issues that were framed. He
had not discussed or set out the reasons for the answers. The award is,
D therefore, not a speaking or reasoned award. [234E·F]

2. That the arbitrator merely referred to the pleadings does not
mean that the pleadings are Incorporated in the award. [234F]

Allen Berry and Co. v. Union of India, AIR 1971 SC 696 and Ciacomo
E Costa Fu Andrea v. British Italian Trading Co. Ltd., (1962) 2 Ali E.R. 53,
followed.

3. In answering issue no.2, the arbitrator construed only such clause
of the agreement as was relevant to decide the issue. Such clause alone
would be incorporated in the award and could be looked al by the court
F to determine if the arbitrator had misconstrued it. (pp.9-10) [2368]

4. Even assuming the incorporation of the agreement, an error
apparent on the face of the award bad to be shown. (p.10) [236D]

Bungo Steel Furniture Pvt. Ltd. v. Union of India, [1967] 1 SCR 633,
G relied on.
5. In the circumstances of the case, merely because the arbitrator
bad not mentioned the pleadings and order of reference does not mean
that the issues framed did not reflect the referred disputes. (pp.11 and 12)
H [2378]
JAJODIA LID. v. IND. DEVELOPMENT CORPN. [BHARUCHA, J.] 231
)
-?'/ 6. That the original foreign sale contracts bad not been sent to A
iDCO does not ipso facto lead to the conclusion that the arbitrator bad uo
material before him upon which be could find in monetary terms the
damages suffered by JOPL. [237EJ

7. In the facts of the case, there are no inconsistencies upon the face of
the award as can be characterised as errors that vitiate the award. An award B
_.,r bas to be read as a whole and harmoniously. The grounds upon which an
award can be set aside are liimited. The court should be very circumspect
about setting aside an award reached by an arbitrator for parties have
agreed that the disputes that may arise or have arisen between them should
be resolved not by a court oflaw but by arbitration. [2398, 240A) c
8. Evidence of a "malady of the racket of arbitration' should make
the court scrutinies the award carefully in each case, but would not make
_,,A~ the court declare all high amounts of awards would be bad per se. (p.17)
[2408-CJ
D
State of Orissa v. Gangaram Chhapolia, (1983) 5 OW 214 and State
of Orissa v. Dandasi Sahu, [1988) 4 SCC 12.

,.., CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION : Civil Appeal No. 572 & 591
of 1980. E
From the Judgment and Order dated 7.11.79 of the Orissa High
Court in Misc. A.No. 92 of 1979.

G.L. Sanghi, Harish N. Salve, S. Khaitan and Darshan Singh for the
.~
Appellant in CA. No. 572/80 and Respondent in C.A. No. 571/80. F
'
B.M. Patnaik, R.K. Mehta and Ms. Mona Chakraborty for the
Respondent in CA. No. 572/80 and for the Appellant in CA. No. 571/80.

The Judgment of the Court was delivered by
G
A-- BHARUCHA, J. These are cross appeals and they can be disposed
of by a common judgment. The· Industrial Devzlopment Corporation of
Orissa Ltd. (IDCO)) is the appellant in Civil Appeal No. 571of1980 and
Jajodia (Overseas) Private Ltd. (JOPL) is the appellant in Civil Appeal
No. 572 of 1980. H
',

.. 232 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993) 1 S.C.R.

A IDCO and JOPL entered into an agreement wbereunder IDCO
agreed to supply to JOPL 5000 tons of M.S. Rounds for export on the terms
and conditions mentioned therein. The goods were not supplied. By a letter
dated 12th September, 1969, IDCO cancelled the agreement and intimated
to JOPL that its offer, which had culminated in the agreement, should be
treated as withdrawn. There was some correspondence between the par-
B
ties. Thereafter the claim againsflDCO for damages for breach of contract
made by JOPL was referred to the Chief Secretary to the Government of
Orissa, the arbitrator named in the agreement, for adjudication. The Chief

--
Secretary declined to act as arbitrator. Thereupon JOPL filed a suit under
Section 20 of the Arbitration Act 1940, in the Calcutta High Court praying
c that the agreement be taken on file and the dispute between JOPL and
IDCO be referred to an arbitrator to be nominated by the court. That
plaint was returned to JOPL to be presented before the proper court. It
was presented in the court of the Subordinate judge, Bhubaneswar. On 4th
April, 1973, the learned Subordinate Judge appointed Mr. B. Mohapatra,
D a retired Judge of the Patna High Court "to act as the arbitrator to give
his award on the disputes between the parties as enumerated in their
respective pleadings and the order of this court. Reference he made to him
requesting him to make the award by 30th June, 1974. Copy of the plaint,
written statement and the order of this court be sent to the arbitrator.' ,~
E
The arbitrator entered upon the refere'lce and, after hearing parties
and considering the material placed upon the record before him, gave an
award on 24th September, 1985. In the Preamble to the award the ar-
bitrator set out briefly some of the facts afore-mentioned. The arbitrator
stated that issues had been settled for adjudication and that the parties
F produced a large number of documents, examined witnesses and advanced
elaborate arguments. The arbitrator, having given careful consideration to
all the written statements, documents and evidence and the arguments, set
out the conclusions to which he had come upon the issues raised. He
concluded:

G "In the result, my award is that J ajodia Overseas Pvt. Ltd. is
entitled to recover from the Industrial Development Corpora-
tion of Orissa Rs. 11,00,344 only (eleven lakhs three hundred
forty-four) with pendente lite interest at the rate of 6 per cent
per annum from 28th April, 1974 to the date of award (24th
H September, 1975)".
JAJODIA LID. v. IND. DEVELOPMENT CORPN. [BHARUCHA, J.] 233
~ The award was challenged by IDCO before the Subordinate Judge, A
Bhubaneshwar. JOPL supported the award and prayed that it be made a
rule of the court with future interest. The learned Subordinate Judge
dismissed IDCO's petition and made the award a rule of the court ordering
that JOPL was entitled to future interest at the rate of 6 per cent per
annum.
B
.Jlfll
The judgment and order, of the learned Subordinate Judge was
impugened before the Orissa High Court. The learned Single Judge who
heard the appeal rejected all contentions raised on behalf of !DCO except
one: be found that in answering three issues the arbitrator had arrived at
inconsistent conclusions which had a bearing on the question whether or c
not damages should be awarded. The inconsistency was not a trifling or
inconsequential matter and, being apparent on the face of the award, the
~ learned Judge held that the arbitrator had been guilty of legal misconduct
so that the a'fVard was set aside. The learned Judge directed that the
records pertaining to the arbitration proceeding be sent back to the ar-
D
bitrator, who was directed to give a fresh award, after giving an opportunity
of beaming to both parties, keeping in view the findings and observations
made in the judgment.

?""'\ Against the judgment and order of the Orissa High Court, both
JOPL and IDCO are in appeal. JOPL contends that there is no inconsis- E
tency upon the face of the award which vitiates it. On behalf of IDCO it
is contended that the award is bad and that, in any event the High Court
was in error in sending the matter back to the arbitrator for making a fresh
award.
_
____...__,
It was submitted by Mr. B.M. Patnaik, learned counsel for IDCO,
F
that -

(i) No disputes which were referred to the Chief Secretary by JOPL
and which were contained in the plaint and the written statement before
the Subordinate Judge, Bhubaneshwar, and were referred by the said G
-*< Subordinate Judge to the arbitrator were considered by the arbitrator
because these documents were not mentioned in the award. Consequently,
the arbitrator bad acted without jurisdiction.

(ii) That the award of damages was based on no evidence or material. H
234 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1993) 1 S.C.R.

A (iii) The answer by the arbitrator to issue No. 2, set out in the award,
showed that the arbitrator had construed the agreement between the
parties. As such, the agreement was incorporated in the award and it was,
therefore, open to the court to see if the arbitrator had in any wise
mis-construed the agreement.

B (iv) The arbitrator had referred to the statement of claim and the
counter fded before him and had given fmdings. As such,,the statement of
claim and the counier was incorporated in the award so that the whole
matter was open before the court.

(v) The award was a speaking award inasmuch as the answers to the
c issues were the reasons for the award.

(vi) There were inconsistencies in the answers to the issues and the
arbitrator had, therefore, misconducted the proceedings.

D (vii) In any event, if at all the matter had t\) go back, it should not
go back to the arbitrator but to the arbitral tribunal now constituted in the
State of Orissa.

It is, we think, necessary, first, to clear some cobwebs. A speaking or
reasoned award is one which discusses or sets out the reasons which led
E the arbitrator to make the award. Setting out the conclusions upon the
question or issues that arise in the arbitration proceedings without discuss-
ing the reasons for coming to these conclusions does not make <JI award
a reasoned or speaking award. The arbitrator has in the award before us
only answered the issues that were framed. He has not discussed or set out
the reasons for the answers. The award is, therefore, not a speaking or
F reasoned award.

That the arbitrator merely referred to the pleadings filed before him
does not mean that the pleadings are incorporated in the award. As was
said in the context of a contract in a passage, quoted by this Court with
G approval in Allen Berry and Co. v. Union of lnma, AlR 1971 SC 696, from
the judgment of Diplock, LJ. in Giacomo Costa Fu Andrea v. British Italian
Trading Co. Ltd., [1962) 2 All E.R. 53 :

"It seems to me, therefore, that, on the cases, there is none
which compels us to hold that a mere reference to the contract
H in the award entitles us to look at the contract. It may be that
JAIODIA LID. v. IND. DEVELOPMENT CORPN. [BHARUCHA, J.] 235

in particular cases a specific reference to a particular clause of A
a contract may incorporate the contract, or that clause of it, in
the award. I think that we are driven back to first principles in
this matter, namely, that an award can only be set aside for
error which is on its face. It is true that an award can incor-
porate another document so as to entitle one to read that
document as part of the award and, by the reading them
B
together, find an error on the face of the award."

"9. The question whether a contract or a clause of it is incor-
porated in the award is a question of construction of the award.
The test is, does the arbitrator come to a finding on the wording C
of the contract. If he does, he can be said to have impliedly
incorporated the contract or a clause in it whichever be the
case. But a mere general reference to the contract in the award
is not to be held as incorporating it."

The arbitrator merely referred to the fact that parties had "filed their D
statements" before him and that he had given "careful consideration to all
the written statements, documents and evidence and the arguments". This
is not such a reference as can be said to incorporate the pleadings before
him in the award. .
E
Reference was made to issue No.2 and its answer and it was con-
tended that the arbitrator had thereby made a specific reference to the
agreement and it must, therefore, be held that the agreement was incor-
porated in the award. Issue No. 2 and the answer to it read thus:
11
/ssue Answer F
__...._
'
Was the said agreement a com·· The agreement was not a
mission agency or export agen- commission agency or ex-
cy agreement? port agreement."

In the first place, the pleadings before the Subordinate Judge, G
Bhubaneshwar and the order of reference made by him are not placed by
IDCO before us. If it was IDCO's case that no issue of law had specifically
been referred to the arbitrator, it was its obligation so to show. But we shall
proceed on the basis that a specific question of law was not referred. The
submission on IDCO's behalf was that the arbitrator mis-construed the H
236 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993) 1 S.C.R.

A agreement and, therefore, the court was entitled to look into the agreement
and determine whether the award was correct. We do not think that this
broad submission is correct. It would appear that the arbitrator construed
only such clause of the agreement as was relevant to decide whether the
agreement was, as contended by IDCO, a commission or export agency
B agreement. Such clause alone would be incorporated in the award and
could be· looked at by the court to determine whether the arbitrator
mis-construed it. We cannot accede to the submission that, by reason of
the answer to issue no. 2, the entire agreement became incorporated in the
award and that it was, therefore, open to the court to look into the entirety
of the dispute in the arbitration proceedings and determine whether the
C award was correct.
Even assuming the incorporation of the agreement, an error ap-
parent upon the face of the award had to be shown. We may refer with
advantage to this court's judgment in Bungo Steel Fumimre Pvt. Ltd. v.
D Union of India, [1967] 1 SCR 633. The court quoted the well-known
passage from the judgment of Lord Dunedin in Champasey Bhara and
Company v. Jivraj Ba/loo Spinning and Weaving Company Ltd., 50 I.A. 324,
thus:

'An error in law on the face of the award means, in their
E Lordships' view, that you can find in the award or a document
actually incorporated thereto, a;; for instance a note appended
by the arbitrator stating the reasons for his judgment, some
legal proposition which is the basis of the award and which you
can then say is erroneous. It does not mean that in narrative a
F reference is made to a contention of one party, that opens the
door to seeing first what that contention is, and then going to
the contract on which the parties' rights depend to see if that
contention is sound." ·

It went on to observe:
G
'An award may be set aside by the court on the ground of an
error of law apparent on the face of the award but an award
is not invalid merely because by a process of inference and
argument it may be demonstrated that the arbitrator has com-
H mitted some mistake in arriving at his conclusion.'
JAJODIA LTD. v. IND. DEVELOPMENT CORPN. [BHARUCHA, J.) '137

It was argued on behalf of IDCO before the High Court that the A
pleadings before the Subordinate Judge, Bhubneshwar and the order of
reference to the arbitrator made by him were not before the arbitrator and
that, therefore, the arbitrator had acted without jurisdiction. The High Court
rejected that contention and made reference to the order of the S11.bordinate
Judge, which we have quoted above, which showed that if directed'that the
copy of the pleadings and of itself should be sent by the Court to the
B
arbitrator. Before us it was submitted that these plea~ and order had not
been considered by the arbitrator, because he had not mentioned them in the
award. Issues were framed by the arbitrator, obviously in consultation with
the parties and arising upon the pleadings. There were several hearings. It is,
in these circumstances, inconceivable that the issues would not have reflected c
the referred dispute between the parties. It is also significant that the plead-
ings before the Subordinate Judge, Bhubaneshwar, and the statement of
claim and the counter filed before the arbitrator were not producedbefore us
by IDCO so that we could determine whether the statement of claim filed by
JOPL before the arbitrator raised claims different from those contained in D
the pleadings before the Subordinate Judge, Bhubaneshwar.

It was submitted that the award of damages was based on no evidence
or material. The submission was based on the finding that the originals of the
foreign sale contracts entered into by JOPL in respect of the goods under the
agreement had not been sent to IDCO. That these original agreements had E
not been sent does not ipso facto lead to the conclusion that the arbitrator had
no material before him upon which he could find that JOPL had suffered
damage and assess the same in monetary terms.

This brings us to the question of the inconsistencies found by the
High Court upon the face of the award. The issues and the answers to F
which the High Court referred are issue Nos. 6, 7(b) and 9(a).

In our view, it is necessary to reproduce the issue nos. 6, 7, 9, and 10
and their answers in extenso.

"Issues
G
Answer.r

6. Did the claimant fulfil their JOPL fulfilled their obliga-
obligations under the terms tions under the agreement
and conditions of the agree- in question.
ment. H
238 SUPREME COURT REPORTS [1993] 1 S.C.R.

A 7.(a) Did the respondent ac- IDC accepted or affirmed
cept or affirm the claimant's the JOPL's order for supply
order for supply of 4000 tonnes of 4000 tonnes.
as mentioned in para 4 of the
statement of claim ?

B (b) Did the claimant send the JOPL did not send the
original foreign sale contracts original foreign sale con-
to the respondent. tracts to l.D.C.

9.(a) Were the acts mentioned The agr~ement provided
in para 10 of the counter-state- for JOPL sending the ori- __,_
c ment covered by the agree- ginal foreign sale contracts
ment? to the respondent at a cer-
tain stage. Reference to _,..._
para 1Q of the counter state-
ment of IDC.
D
(b) Were the acts mentioned in The agreement provided
para 11 of the counter-state- that JOPL would arrange
ment covered by the agree- for export license, (Refer-
ment. ence to para 11 of the
counter-statement of IDC.
E
(c) Were the acts mentioned in The agreement provided
para-12 of the counter-state- that JOPL would procure
ment covered by the agree- orders for export of 5000
ment? (JOPL) metric tonnes of MS Ro-
F unds within 3 months from
the date of acceptance of
the IDC's offer and they
would follow up the indents
placed by the respondent
(IDC) for supply of billets
G and arrange for export
licences, letter of authorisa-
tion from the Iron and Steel
Controller in time (Ref. to
para 12 of counter- state-
H ment of IDC).
JAJODIA LID. v. IND. DEVEWPMENT CORPN. (BHARUCHA, J.] 239

(d) Were the acts mentioned in The 'acts' mentioned in para A
para 13 of the counter-state- 13 of the counter-statement
ment covered by the the agree- by IDC are covered by the
ment. previous three paragraphs
{10, 11 and 12) of that state-
ment and they have been B
already dealt/with under
sub issues (a), (b) and (c)
above.

If so, did the party concerned The party concerned that is
perform such Acts? the JOPL performed their C
part of the work as was
necessary under the agree-
ment at relevant stage.

10. Was the respondent jus- IDC was not justified in D
tified in cancelling the agree- cancelling the agreement".
ment?

It will be seen that the award says that the agreement provided for
JOPL sending the original foreign sale contracts to the respondent at a
certain stage.' It also says that 'JOPL fulfilled their obligations under the E
agreement in question' and that 'JOPL performed their part of the work
as was necessary under the Agreement at relevant stage'. On the other hand,
it says that 'JOPL did not send the original foreign sale contracts to l.D.C.'
The award· then finds that 'IDC was not justified in cancelling the agree-
ment'. (Emphasis supplied). Reading these issues and answers together F
and harmoniously, it is apparent that the agreement provided that JOPL
should send to IDCO the original foreign sale contracts at a certain point
of time and that it is found that JOPL had not sent the original foreign sale
contracts to IDCO. It is also apparent that it is found that at the point of
time at which IDCO purported to cancel the agreement, JOPL had per-
formed all its obligations under the agreement. The conclusion is, there- G
fore, that upto that point of time JOPL had not been obliged to send the
foreign sale contracts to IDCO. So read, in our view, there are no incon-
sistencies upon the face of the award as can be characterised as errors that
vitiate the award. An award has to be read as a whole and harmoniously.
The grounds upon which an award can be set aside are limited. The court H
240 SUPREME COURT REPORTS (1993) 1 S.C.R.

A should be very circumsp~ct about setting aside an award reached by an
arbitrator for parties have agreed that the disputes that may arise or have
arisen betw~~n them should be resolved not by a court of law but by
arbitration.

Mr. Patnaik PQ,inted out that the Orissa High Court had recognised
B that "the malady of il.e racket of arbitration' affected its State State of
Orissa v. Gangarom Chhapolia, (1983) 5 OU 214 and that this had been
taken note of by this court in State of Orissa v. Dandasi Sahu, (1988] 4 SCC
12. The court said: '-" ·

'In our opinion, the evidence of such state of affairs should
c make this court scrutini.'e !he award carefully in each particular
case but that does not make the court declare that all high
amounts of awards would be bad per se.'

We are in respectfui agreement. We do not, having bestowed due
o· care upon the award and the arguments advanced to assail it, find the
award to be bad in law.

Having regard to the view that we take, the question of setting aside
the award and sending the arbitration proceedings back to the arbitrator
or to the arbitral tribunal now created in the State of Orissa does not arise.
E
In the result, Civil Appeal No. 571 of 1980 (filed by IDCO) is
dismissed. Civil Appeal No. 572 of 1980 (filed by JOPL) is allowed and the
judgment and order of the Subordinate Judge, Bhubaneshwar dated 9th
March, 1979 is restored.

F There shall be no order as to costs.

U .R. C.A No. 571180-dismissed.
C.A. No. 572/80-allowed.