Milon K. Banerji Arbitration Centre Inaugurated At NALSAR University of Law Hyderabad
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK
19 Feb 2025 6:12 AM
The Milon K. Banerji Arbitration Centre (MKBAC) was inaugurated at the National Academy of Legal Studies and Research (NALSAR University of Law) on 15th February 20205. The inaugural program featured a keynote address by Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman (Former Judge, Supreme Court of India), currently serving as the Chair, MKBAC, NALSAR University of Law, along with an address by Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya, Judge, High Court for the State of Telangana.
The centre is established through a generous endowment by Senior Advocate Gourab Banerji, Donor and Patron of the MKBAC, and is named in honour of the late Milon K. Banerji, an esteemed jurist who served as the Attorney General of India for two terms (1992–1996, 2004–2009).
In his welcome address Prof. Srikrishna Deva Rao, Vice Chancellor, NALSAR University of Law, said that the Milon K. Banerji Centre for Arbitration Law is envisioned as a premier research, training, and teaching hub dedicated to advancing arbitration law and practice. Explaining the activities of the centre, Prof. Rao stated that the Centre aims to foster collaboration among students, legal scholars, practitioners, and policymakers, providing a platform for academic discourse and professional development.
On this occasion, Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman delivered a key note address. In his address, he discussed Milon K. Banerji's substantial contributions towards the field of arbitration. He further examined the recent DMRC v. DAMEPL judgment, wherein the Supreme Court exercised its curative jurisdiction and annulled an award on the ground of patent illegality. In this backdrop, he emphasised the need to reduce judicial intervention, while recognising the importance of an alignment with Section 69 of the English Arbitration Act, 1996. Moreover, he proposed the removal of the intermediate step of approaching a single-judge bench while setting aside an arbitral award and instead suggested to directly apply to a division bench.
Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya, in her address, praised the skills and contributions of Milon K. Banerji that she had witnessed on a personal level. She discussed four important decisions which involved Mr. Banerji, two out of which were related to arbitration. His approach, research, and novel ideas were appreciated by everyone.
Senior Advocate Ritin Rai, Co-Chair, MKBAC, NALSAR University of Law explained the vision statement of the Centre which is to foster meaningful debates and intellectual discussions surrounding contested contemporary developments in arbitration law. He further stated that the objective of the Centre is to serve as a research hub and provide training to students interested in this field.