M/S. Gayatri Project Limited vs Madhya Pradesh Road Development ...

The Supreme Court examined whether an arbitral award under the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, could be annulled on the ground of lack of jurisdiction when no such plea was raised before the arbitral tribunal. The Court analyzed the procedural aspects of raising jurisdictional objections and clarified that such objections can be raised at the enforcement stage under Section 34 of the Act, even if not raised earlier. The judgment emphasizes the importance of timely objections to jurisdiction to prevent unnecessary delays and uphold the integrity of arbitral proceedings. The Court ultimately upheld the award, clarifying the scope of jurisdictional challenges under Indian arbitration law.