A learned Single Judge of the Bombay High Court in Jayesh
Shah v. Kaydee Family Trust (Arbitration Application 278 of 2012, decided
on March 6, 2013) has decided an interesting point of law in connection with
arbitration of disputes arising out of trusts. An arbitration clause in a Trust
Deed provided for arbitration of all disputes “regarding the interpretation
of any of the clauses of provisions or the contents of this Trust deed or
between the trustees, or the trustees and beneficiaries, or the beneficiary
interse regarding the rights, titles or interest flowing or arising from this
Trust deed or consequential thereto…” The trust was a private trust for the
benefit of six minors. Three of the beneficiaries (now having attained majority)
filed an application u/s 11 in respect of disputes with the other beneficiaries
(who also had attained the age of majority). Principally, the application was
resisted on two grounds: (a) that the beneficiaries were not ‘party’ to the
arbitration agreement; and (b) in any event, the arbitration agreement being
entered into while the beneficiaries were minor, was void. It was also argued
that “parties claiming through a party to arbitration agreement can apply
for referring the dispute to arbitration under s. 45”, but this provision
applied only with respect to Part II and no such provision was found in Part I
of the Act. Reliance was placed on a judgment of the Delhi High Court in the
case of Chhaya Shriram v. Deepak Shriram, for the proposition that
beneficiaries are not a ‘party’ to an arbitration agreement in a trust deed.
Shah v. Kaydee Family Trust (Arbitration Application 278 of 2012, decided
on March 6, 2013) has decided an interesting point of law in connection with
arbitration of disputes arising out of trusts. An arbitration clause in a Trust
Deed provided for arbitration of all disputes “regarding the interpretation
of any of the clauses of provisions or the contents of this Trust deed or
between the trustees, or the trustees and beneficiaries, or the beneficiary
interse regarding the rights, titles or interest flowing or arising from this
Trust deed or consequential thereto…” The trust was a private trust for the
benefit of six minors. Three of the beneficiaries (now having attained majority)
filed an application u/s 11 in respect of disputes with the other beneficiaries
(who also had attained the age of majority). Principally, the application was
resisted on two grounds: (a) that the beneficiaries were not ‘party’ to the
arbitration agreement; and (b) in any event, the arbitration agreement being
entered into while the beneficiaries were minor, was void. It was also argued
that “parties claiming through a party to arbitration agreement can apply
for referring the dispute to arbitration under s. 45”, but this provision
applied only with respect to Part II and no such provision was found in Part I
of the Act. Reliance was placed on a judgment of the Delhi High Court in the
case of Chhaya Shriram v. Deepak Shriram, for the proposition that
beneficiaries are not a ‘party’ to an arbitration agreement in a trust deed.
The nature of a beneficiary’s interest is a matter of some
complexity (readers may refer to an excellent article by Edelman J., in a
recent 2013 issue of the Law Quarterly Review in this regard). Jurisdictions
where beneficiaries have been held bound by an arbitration clause in a trust
deed often proceed on the premise that the beneficiary claims through a trustee
and thus claims through a party to the agreement. Whether the language of s 7
of the Indian Act allows for such an interpretation is an open question. The
learned Single Judge of the Bombay High Court however took a different approach
– one which was premised not on the beneficiary claiming through a party, but
on the beneficiary itself being a party. The learned Judge held, “In my view,
the definition of ‘party’ under s 2(h) of the Act has to be interpreted
harmoniously and the beneficiaries, who were referred to in the said Trust Deed
as beneficiaries which provides for referring all disputes to arbitration
between the beneficiaries and Trustees and also beneficiaries inter-se, has to
be construed as if the beneficiaries were also party to the arbitration
agreement… In my view, beneficiaries under the said Trust deed are not only
claiming through the Trustees when they were minor, but are claiming
independently under the Trust deed after attaining the age of majority…” With
respect, this reasoning appears to beg the question: it is not clear what is
meant by saying that the word ‘party’ has to be construed ‘harmoniously’. Further,
the impact which the general proposition (that a beneficiary is in a
contractual relationship with the settlor, trustees and other beneficiaries) will
have on other areas of law is not quite clear. If the proposition is to be
regarded as being confined to the Arbitration Act, it is not clear where the
basis for such restriction is to be derived from. This is not to say that there
is no scope whatsoever, under any circumstances, to hold beneficiaries bound by
an arbitration clause: however, the basis on which the learned Single Judge
proceeded appears to require further consideration. For instance, one theory
has been on the basis of estoppel and ‘deemed acceptance’ – by accepting the
benefits under a trust, a beneficiary accepts to be bound by all obligations, including
the obligation to arbitrate: two potential issues arise – (a) is such a theory
a basis to enforce arbitration of inter-se disputes between
beneficiaries (as opposed to disputes between a beneficiary and a trustee); (b)
is such a theory compatible with s. 7 of the Indian Act: with respect, the
answer cannot be found in simply saying that s 2(h) must be construed ‘harmoniously’.
complexity (readers may refer to an excellent article by Edelman J., in a
recent 2013 issue of the Law Quarterly Review in this regard). Jurisdictions
where beneficiaries have been held bound by an arbitration clause in a trust
deed often proceed on the premise that the beneficiary claims through a trustee
and thus claims through a party to the agreement. Whether the language of s 7
of the Indian Act allows for such an interpretation is an open question. The
learned Single Judge of the Bombay High Court however took a different approach
– one which was premised not on the beneficiary claiming through a party, but
on the beneficiary itself being a party. The learned Judge held, “In my view,
the definition of ‘party’ under s 2(h) of the Act has to be interpreted
harmoniously and the beneficiaries, who were referred to in the said Trust Deed
as beneficiaries which provides for referring all disputes to arbitration
between the beneficiaries and Trustees and also beneficiaries inter-se, has to
be construed as if the beneficiaries were also party to the arbitration
agreement… In my view, beneficiaries under the said Trust deed are not only
claiming through the Trustees when they were minor, but are claiming
independently under the Trust deed after attaining the age of majority…” With
respect, this reasoning appears to beg the question: it is not clear what is
meant by saying that the word ‘party’ has to be construed ‘harmoniously’. Further,
the impact which the general proposition (that a beneficiary is in a
contractual relationship with the settlor, trustees and other beneficiaries) will
have on other areas of law is not quite clear. If the proposition is to be
regarded as being confined to the Arbitration Act, it is not clear where the
basis for such restriction is to be derived from. This is not to say that there
is no scope whatsoever, under any circumstances, to hold beneficiaries bound by
an arbitration clause: however, the basis on which the learned Single Judge
proceeded appears to require further consideration. For instance, one theory
has been on the basis of estoppel and ‘deemed acceptance’ – by accepting the
benefits under a trust, a beneficiary accepts to be bound by all obligations, including
the obligation to arbitrate: two potential issues arise – (a) is such a theory
a basis to enforce arbitration of inter-se disputes between
beneficiaries (as opposed to disputes between a beneficiary and a trustee); (b)
is such a theory compatible with s. 7 of the Indian Act: with respect, the
answer cannot be found in simply saying that s 2(h) must be construed ‘harmoniously’.
The approach of the learned Single Judge may be contrasted
with the observations made by the Delhi High Court in Chhaya Shriram. The
Delhi High Court held, “… there is no doubt that a beneficiary can have
benefits of the trust only in accordance with the terms of the Trust. But he is
granted benefits by the Trust not out of any contract between his and the
Trustees and the Settlor… Any dispute between the beneficiaries can be
referred to the arbitration only if there is an independent Arbitration
agreement between the beneficiaries...” The learned Single Judge
distinguished these observations by stating that the arbitration clauses in the
two cases were different. With respect, this appears to be no real distinction
at all: the Delhi High Court had held that as a matter of law, there must be a
separate arbitration agreement among the beneficiaries. The correctness of this
proposition does not depend on the wording of the specific clause, but on the
nature of a trust, and of interests under a trust. It thus appears that there
is a conflict between the High Courts on the issue of the proper approach to be
taken towards arbitration clauses purporting to bind beneficiaries (both, vis-a-vis
trustees, and also inter se).
with the observations made by the Delhi High Court in Chhaya Shriram. The
Delhi High Court held, “… there is no doubt that a beneficiary can have
benefits of the trust only in accordance with the terms of the Trust. But he is
granted benefits by the Trust not out of any contract between his and the
Trustees and the Settlor… Any dispute between the beneficiaries can be
referred to the arbitration only if there is an independent Arbitration
agreement between the beneficiaries...” The learned Single Judge
distinguished these observations by stating that the arbitration clauses in the
two cases were different. With respect, this appears to be no real distinction
at all: the Delhi High Court had held that as a matter of law, there must be a
separate arbitration agreement among the beneficiaries. The correctness of this
proposition does not depend on the wording of the specific clause, but on the
nature of a trust, and of interests under a trust. It thus appears that there
is a conflict between the High Courts on the issue of the proper approach to be
taken towards arbitration clauses purporting to bind beneficiaries (both, vis-a-vis
trustees, and also inter se).
Additional note: Besides the article by Justice
Edelman referred to earlier, readers may also refer to an article on ‘Arbitration
of trust disputes’, (2012) 18 (4) Trusts and Trustees 296. It is noteworthy
that a strong view that trust disputes of this nature are not arbitrable at all,
has been put forward by a report of the Trust
Law Committee authored by of John Wood, David Brownbill QC and Christopher
McCall QC: one of the reasons being that the trust concept itself is the
creature of the courts of equity, exercising discretion which can be exercised
only by the court: hence, the rights of beneficiaries and trustees can only be
validly determined by Courts. In reliance, one can look to the decision of the
Privy Council in Schmidt v Rosewood, (2003) 2 AC 709; and that of
Danckwerts J in In re Wynn, (1952) Ch 271, holding that neither a
settlor nor a trustee can wholly oust the jurisdiction of Courts; and Courts
always retain inherent supervisory jurisdiction. In April 2012, the Trusts Law
Committee (Chaired by Sir Peter Gibson) opined that while in principle
arbitration of trusts disputes was desirable, new legislation would be needed
for this. AN interesting discussion is also available in an article by Toby
Graham and Joanna Pool, available
here.
Edelman referred to earlier, readers may also refer to an article on ‘Arbitration
of trust disputes’, (2012) 18 (4) Trusts and Trustees 296. It is noteworthy
that a strong view that trust disputes of this nature are not arbitrable at all,
has been put forward by a report of the Trust
Law Committee authored by of John Wood, David Brownbill QC and Christopher
McCall QC: one of the reasons being that the trust concept itself is the
creature of the courts of equity, exercising discretion which can be exercised
only by the court: hence, the rights of beneficiaries and trustees can only be
validly determined by Courts. In reliance, one can look to the decision of the
Privy Council in Schmidt v Rosewood, (2003) 2 AC 709; and that of
Danckwerts J in In re Wynn, (1952) Ch 271, holding that neither a
settlor nor a trustee can wholly oust the jurisdiction of Courts; and Courts
always retain inherent supervisory jurisdiction. In April 2012, the Trusts Law
Committee (Chaired by Sir Peter Gibson) opined that while in principle
arbitration of trusts disputes was desirable, new legislation would be needed
for this. AN interesting discussion is also available in an article by Toby
Graham and Joanna Pool, available
here.