M. ANASUYA DEVI vs M. MANIK REDDY .

The Supreme Court held that the validity of an arbitral award under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 cannot be challenged on grounds not specified in Section 34(1). The Court clarified that issues regarding the necessity of stamping and registration of the award are only relevant at the enforcement stage under Section 36, and thus the High Court's decision to invalidate the award based on these grounds was premature. The appeal was allowed, and the High Court's judgment was set aside, affirming the award's validity pending enforcement proceedings.