Report No. 176

15. Substitution of new section for section 20

For section 20 of the principal Act, the following section shall be substituted, namely:-

Place of arbitration

"20. (1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (2) ,the parties are free to agree on the place of arbitration: Provided that where the parties fail to agree, the place of arbitration shall be determined by the arbitral tribunal having regard to the circumstances of the case, including the convenience of the parties:

Provided further that the arbitral tribunal may, unless otherwise agreed by the parties, meet at any place it considers appropriate for consultation among its members, for hearing witnesses, experts or the parties, or for inspection of documents, goods or other property.

(2) The place of arbitration shall be within India."