2013 (9) TMI 137 - SC - Companies Law

Maintainability of Petition - Arbitration clause - Permanent Injunction - Petition was made to the High Court of Delhi for a Permanent Injunction restraining infringement of a registered trademark, infringement of copyright, passing off of damages, rendition of accounts of profits u/s 8 r.w Section 5 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act - High Court Rejected the Application holding that that earlier agreements which contained arbitration clause stood superseded by a new contract arrived at between the parties by mutual consent - Held that - Parties had entered into a fresh contract contained in the Exit paper which does not even indicated any disputes arising under the original contract or about the settlement thereof, it was nothing but a pure and simple novation of the original contract by mutual consent - Exit paper clearly indicated that it was a mutually agreed document containing comprehensive terms and conditions which -admittedly does not contain an arbitration clause. The High Court was right in taking the view that it was not a case involving assertion by the respondent of accord a satisfaction in respect of the earlier contracts - If that be so, it could have referred to arbitrator in terms of those two agreements Following Union of India v. Kishorilal Gupta and Bros. 1959 (5) TMI 37 - SUPREME COURT - The principle laid down was that if the contract was superseded by another, the arbitration clause, being a component part of the earlier contract, falls with it - But where the dispute was whether such contract was void ab intio, the arbitration clause cannot operate on those disputes, for its operative force depends upon the existence of the contract and its validity.

Summary

Issues:
1. Interpretation of the survival of an arbitration clause in a contract superseded by a later agreement.
2. Application of the principle of novation in the context of arbitration agreements.
3. Determination of whether an arbitration clause can be invoked in the case of a dispute under a superseded contract.
4. Analysis of the legal implications of a mutual termination agreement on the survival of an arbitration clause.

Analysis:
The case involved a dispute where the appellant sought to enforce an arbitration clause in earlier agreements dated 01.04.2007 and 01.04.2010, despite a new agreement dated 01.02.2011 being entered into between the parties. The appellant contended that the arbitration agreement survives even if the main contract is terminated due to repudiation or breach. The respondent argued that the arbitration clause in the earlier agreements was superseded by the terms of the new agreement, which did not contain an arbitration clause. The court examined the terms of the new agreement titled "Exit paper" and noted that it did not include an arbitration clause. The court emphasized that an arbitration clause cannot survive if the agreement containing it has been superseded by a later agreement. The principle of novation by mutual consent was crucial in determining the survival of the arbitration clause in this case.

The court also considered the applicability of the arbitration clause in the context of a dispute under a superseded contract. It cited legal precedents to establish that if a contract is superseded by another, the arbitration clause, being part of the earlier contract, ceases to have effect. The court highlighted that the arbitration clause's validity depends on the existence and validity of the underlying contract. In this case, the court found that the parties had entered into a new contract through the Exit paper, which did not involve disputes from the original contracts. Therefore, the court concluded that the new agreement constituted a novation of the original contract by mutual consent, leading to the dismissal of the appeal.

In summary, the judgment clarified that the survival of an arbitration clause is contingent upon the terms of subsequent agreements and the principle of novation. It underscored that an arbitration clause cannot operate in the absence of a valid underlying contract and that mutual termination agreements can impact the enforceability of arbitration clauses. The court's decision emphasized the importance of examining the specific terms of agreements to determine the applicability of arbitration clauses in the event of contract novation or termination.