Bengaluru, Jan. 8 -- The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that arbitral proceedings commence on the date the respondent receives a notice invoking the arbitration clause, and not from the date of appointment of an arbitrator or the filing of a petition before the court.

A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih set aside an order of the Karnataka High Court, which had held that arbitration commenced only upon the filing of a petition under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996.

Interpretation of Section 21 of the Arbitration Act

Clarifying the legal position, the court held that under Section 21 of the Act, arbitral proceedings are deemed to commence when the respondent receives a notice or re...