MP RURAL ROAD DEV. AUTHORITY . vs M/S. L.G. CHAUDHARY ENGINEERS AND CONT.

The Supreme Court addressed the applicability of the Madhya Pradesh Madhyasthan Adhikaran Adhiniyam, 1983 (M.P. Act) in relation to the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. It held that the provisions of the M.P. Act, which mandate disputes under works contracts to be referred to an Arbitration Tribunal, remain valid and enforceable despite the enactment of the A.C. Act 1996. The Court clarified that the statutory definition of 'dispute' under Section 2(d) of the M.P. Act and the process outlined in Section 7 for referring disputes to the Tribunal are not overridden by the A.C. Act.