SC slams Future grp tactics, sets Nov 25 for hearing Amazon plea
New Delhi, Nov 17:The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed its displeasure over the way Future Group has been trying to stultify proceedings before a tribunal and set November 25 hearing for Amazon’s plea in the Amazon-Future Group Arbitration matter.
A bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud said: “You (Future) cannot keep stultifying the proceeding before the arbitral tribunal and this is just a ploy to delay the proceedings.”
The two business conglomerates are bitterly fighting over their business agreement and had knocked the doors of courts.
“This is an international arbitration and this is how the courts of this country will bring repute to the process?
“We will not let the arbitration process be stultified.
“You (Future) cannot keep stultifying the proceeding before the arbitral tribunal.
“We will list the matter for next Friday and order accordingly,” the CJI led bench told the Future group.
Former Solicitor General (SG), Gopal Subramanium, appearing for the Amazon Group, told the apex court that the termination application was fully heard by a three-member tribunal and on June 28 it was dismissed.
He further said that the amendability claims were heard and it was now going for final hearing in the arbitration on November 28.
However, Subramanium said that Future expressed its unhappiness at the fact that the tribunal was going ahead with the hearing despite the expert involved being unavailable due to FIFA World Cup commitment.
Also they (Future) have filed a plea before the Delhi High Court to terminate the arbitration proceedings, Subramanium said, and pleaded: “now they (Future) are requesting to scuttle the November 28 date for the arbitration proceeding. Please consider it.”
Senior advocate, KV Vishwanathan for Future then said the maintainability order was reserved by the high court and added that statement of defence has also been submitted before the tribunal.
The CJI told Vishwanathan: “All ploys by well heeled parties to delay the arbitration proceeding.
“Your client is trying to be too clever… As a Chief Justice of this court, I am concerned.”
He then fixed the matter for hearing on November 25, Friday, and added “we will pass order accordingly.”