#tribunal composition

The Supreme Court held that jurisdiction to extend an arbitral mandate under Section 29A lies exclusively with the 'court' defined in Section 2(1)(e), not the Section 11 appointing authority. A party waives its right to a three-member tribunal by twice consenting to a sole arbitrator and participating for 18 months. The IBC moratorium does not bar a corporate debtor from initiating arbitration to recover dues.

An appellate order under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, is void if passed by a single District Magistrate without the two mandatory non-official members mandated by Haryana’s 2020 notification. This ruling reinforces that quasi-judicial tribunals must strictly adhere to statutorily prescribed composition - affecting senior citizens’ appeals, district magistrates, and administrative compliance across Haryana and Punjab.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court ruled that eviction orders under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, passed by a tribunal lacking the mandated three-member bench, are null and void. The court emphasized strict adherence to procedural composition, remanding the matter for fresh adjudication before a legally constituted authority.