1` IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR Writ Petition No.4789/2007 Gaurav Purushottam Laddhad vs. The Arbitrator for Akola Janta Commercial Co- operative Bank Ltd. Nagpur and others. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Notes, Office Memoranda of Coram, appearances, Court's orders Court's or Judge's or directions and Registrar's orders. Orders. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CORAM : A.P.LAVANDE, J DATE : 16.6.2008 Heard Mr. R.M.Ahirrao, learned counsel for the petitioner and Mr. R.V.Shah, learned counsel for respondent no.2. None appears on behalf of the other respondents. By this petition, the petitioner challenges the order dated 25.06.2007 passed by the Arbitrator in the Arbitration Proceedings pending before the respondent no. 1. By the impugned order the Arbitrator has rejected the application filed by the petitioner seeking directions against the Bank- respondent no.2 to join the present applicant as party in the Arbitration Proceedings. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner was called upon to satisfy as to under which provision the present petitioner can claim to be a party in Arbitration Proceedings when he is not a party to the arbitration agreement. Mr. Ahirrao placed reliance upon Section 19 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. Perusal of the same discloses that the same only permits the arbitrator to conduct the proceedings in the manner it considers appropriate. The learned counsel for the petitioner could not point out any 2` substantive provision which enables the Arbitrator to permit a person who is not a party to the arbitration agreement to be joined as a party in the Arbitration Proceedings. For the reasons aforesaid, I find no merit in the present petition. Hence, the petition is rejected. Judge patle