Arbitration off track

Delhi Metro shareholders should step up

Barely 10 days after the Bar Council of India’s rules on foreign lawyers practising in India raised anticipation of the country emerging as an international arbitration centre, the government moved to amend a law that circumscribes a domestic arbitral award. On March 17, the Delhi High Court ordered the Centre and the Delhi government, joint shareholders of the Delhi Metro, to pay in full Rs 4,700 crore arbitral award to Delhi Airport Metro Private Ltd (DAMEPL), a subsidiary owned by Anil Ambani’s Reliance Infrastructure, or face action. Since the amount exceeds Delhi Metro’s earnings, the court has the right to