Arbitration Act 1940
Section 39
Lien on Arbitral Award and Deposits as to Costs
(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section
(2) and to any provision to the contrary in the arbitration agreement, the arbitral
tribunal shall have a lien on the arbitral award for any unpaid costs of the
arbitration.
(2) If in any case an arbitral tribunal
refuses to deliver its award except on payment of the costs demanded by it, the
Court may, on an application in this behalf, order that the arbitral tribunal
shall deliver the arbitral award to the applicant on payment into Court by the
applicant of the costs demanded, and shall, after such inquiry, if any, as it
thinks fit, further order that out of the money so paid into Court there shall
be paid to the arbitral tribunal by way of costs such sum as the Court may
consider reasonable and that the balance of the money, if any, shall be
refunded to the applicant.
(3) An application under sub-section (2) may
be made by any party unless the fees demanded have been fixed by written
agreement between him and the arbitral tribunal, and the arbitral tribunal
shall be entitled to appear and be heard on any such application.
(4) The Court may make such orders as it
thinks fit respecting the costs of the arbitration where any question arises
respecting such costs and the arbitral award contains no sufficient provision
concerning them.