---
title: "Pre-Agreed Online Dispute Resolution Clause Prevails – Amit Chaurasia v. ICICI Bank Limited"
date: 2025-12-22
author: "Supriya Bhosale"
url: https://www.indialaw.in/blog/arbitration-and-conciliation/online-dispute-resolution-clause/
---

# Pre-Agreed Online Dispute Resolution Clause Prevails – Amit Chaurasia v. ICICI Bank Limited

Posted On - 22 December, 2025 •

By - [Supriya Bhosale](https://www.indialaw.in/people/supriya-bhosale/ "Posts by Supriya Bhosale") and [Rahul Sundaram](https://www.indialaw.in/people/rahul-sundaram/ "Posts by Rahul Sundaram")

[![Pre-agreed online dispute resolution clause](https://www.indialaw.in/wp-content/uploads/etgmffzrogc.jpg)](https://www.indialaw.in/wp-content/uploads/etgmffzrogc.jpg)

In a concise yet telling order dated 10 December 2025, the Bombay High Court (Somasekhar Sundaresan, J.) has reaffirmed the primacy of party autonomy in Online Dispute resolution platform arbitration while simultaneously nudging litigants towards consensual settlement.  Arbitration Petition (L) No. 35627 of 2025, titled Amit Chaurasia v. ICICI Bank Limited, 2025: BHC-OS:24269, began as a challenge to the very existence of an arbitration agreement and ended with a direction to explore mediation at the Court’s own centre, highlighting the judiciary’s twin objectives of enforcing bargains and de-clogging dockets.

The petitioner, an individual borrower, had accepted a credit facility from ICICI Bank.  The sanction letter carried a web-link to the bank’s “Terms and Conditions”, which provides that any dispute shall be resolved exclusively through the bank’s Online Dispute Resolution Agency (ODRA).  The clause contemplates a two-step process: mandatory conciliation followed, if unsuccessful, by arbitration conducted by the same ODRA.  After a dispute arose, the ODRA issued three electronic intimations ie., conciliation notice, failure-of-conciliation report, and arbitration commencement notice, all of which were admittedly received by Chaurasia.  Instead of participating, he moved the High Court under Sections 14 and 15 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, contending that there was never any consensus on the identity of the arbitrator and that the ODRA, being an internal body, lacked the independence contemplated by the statute.

The Court addressed whether an arbitration agreement existed; whether pre-agreed institutional appointment amounted to absence of consensus; and whether the dispute deserved a shot at mediation.  The learned judge held that acceptance of the facility after notice of the web-link, coupled with failure to object to successive ODRA intimations, constituted implied acceptance under Section 7.  He also held  that an institution pre-named by the parties is not ipso facto biased or an agreement without consent; it is the contractual choice that the statute strives to honour. 

Having rejected the substantive prayer, the Court nevertheless recognised that the monetary stakes were modest and that counsel for both sides had expressed an “openness to explore settlement”.  In exercise of its inherent powers the Court directed the parties to appear before the Main Mediation Centre, Bombay High Court, by 4 p.m. on 12 December 2025

The petition was thus disposed of with a dual message: commercial contracts that institutionalise dispute resolution will be jealously guarded against belated challenges, yet the judiciary will actively facilitate negotiated closure where both sides are willing.  For practitioners, the judgment is a reminder that autonomy and access to justice are not adversarial ideals; properly managed, they can coexist within the same proceeding.

For further details write to [contact@indialaw.in](mailto:contact@indialaw.in)

[Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)](https://www.indialaw.in/expertise/alternative-dispute-resolution/)[ADR Clauses and Contractual Advice](https://www.indialaw.in/expertise/alternative-dispute-resolution/adr-clauses-and-contractual-advice/)

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# IndiaLaw LLP — Offices & Contact Details

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## General Contact

| | |
|---|---|
| **Website** | https://www.indialaw.in |
| **Primary email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Primary phone** | +91 836-9995919 |
| **Contact form** | https://www.indialaw.in/connect/ |
| **Careers (separate channel)** | https://www.indialaw.in/careers/ |


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## All Offices (9 locations across 8 cities)

### 1. Mumbai — Registered Office & Head Office (Apeejay Chambers)

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | Apeejay Chambers, Ground Floor, Wallace Street, Fort, Mumbai – 400 001 |
| **Phone** | [022-6924-7400](tel:02269247400) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/mumbai/ |
| **Practice focus** | Litigation · Arbitration · Insolvency & Bankruptcy · Corporate · Banking · Real Estate · IP |
| **Notes** | The HQ. 5 partners based here. Handles PAN-India litigation, arbitration, corporate, banking, IP and real estate practice. Largest team across all offices. |

### 2. Mumbai — Non-Litigation Office (Excelsior, Fort)

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | 4th Floor, New Excelsior Theatre Pvt. Ltd., Amrit Keshav Nayak Marg, Fort, Mumbai – 400 001 |
| **Phone** | [022-697-40500](tel:022-697-40500) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/mumbai/ |
| **Practice focus** | Non-litigation only — consultations, negotiations, transactional work |
| **Notes** | Opened 2024. Litigation and arbitration remain at the Apeejay Chambers head office. |

### 3. Delhi

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | Flat No. 1107 & 1108, Prakashdeep Building, Tolstoy Marg, Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110 001 |
| **Phone** | (general line: +91 836-9995919) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/delhi/ |
| **Practice focus** | Litigation · Arbitration · Insolvency & Bankruptcy · Corporate · Banking · Real Estate |
| **Notes** | 3 partners based here. Located near the Supreme Court of India, Delhi High Court and other appellate bodies. |

### 4. Kolkata

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | Centre Point Building, Room No. 214, 2nd Floor, Premises No. 21, Hemanta Basu Sarani, Opp. Great Eastern Hotel, P.S. Hare Street, Kolkata – 700 001, West Bengal |
| **Phone** | [+91 33 4813 1001](tel:+913348131001) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/kolkata/ |
| **Practice focus** | Insolvency & Bankruptcy · Commercial & Civil Litigation · Arbitration · Banking Litigation · Real Estate · Labour & Employment · Consumer |
| **Notes** | Advises banks, NBFCs, MSMEs and corporates on transactions and dispute resolution. Works in close coordination with the Mumbai HO. |

### 5. Chennai

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | GF-A, 19 Casa Major Road, Egmore, Chennai – 600 008 |
| **Phone** | (general line: +91 836-9995919) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/chennai/ |
| **Practice focus** | Litigation · Insolvency & Bankruptcy · Real Estate |
| **Notes** | Full-fledged office with experienced legal team. Supported by Mumbai HO. |

### 6. Bengaluru (Bangalore)

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | INDIALAW LLP, No. 7 Chinnaswamy Mudaliar Road, Shivaji Nagar, Bangalore – 560 051 |
| **Phone** | [080-4167-2444](tel:08041672444) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/bengaluru/ |
| **Practice focus** | Litigation · Insolvency & Bankruptcy · Real Estate · Family Laws · Labour |
| **Notes** | Located near Bangalore High Court. Handles corporate, commercial, banking and matrimonial disputes. |

### 7. Hyderabad

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | 403, 4th Floor, Sanatana Ecstasy Building, beside Tanishq Show Room, Himayathnagar, Hyderabad – 500 029, Telangana |
| **Phone** | [040-6666-5166](tel:04066665166) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/hyderabad/ |
| **Practice focus** | Litigation · Banking · Insolvency & Bankruptcy · Real Estate |
| **Notes** | Particularly well known for complex banking matters and real estate transactions. |

### 8. Cochin (Kochi)

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | Second Floor, Pulikkal Building, K.K. Padmanabhan Road, Ernakulam North – 682 018, Kerala |
| **Phone** | [0484-3583961](tel:04843583961) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/cochin/ |
| **Practice focus** | Litigation · Insolvency & Bankruptcy · Real Estate |
| **Notes** | Commercial disputes, property litigation, financial-claim arbitrations and real estate transactions. |

### 9. Noida (NCR)

| | |
|---|---|
| **Address** | No. 16 & 17, Silver Offices, 17th Floor, Wave One, Sector 18, Noida – 201 301 |
| **Phone** | (general line: +91 836-9995919) |
| **Email** | contact@indialaw.in |
| **Page** | https://www.indialaw.in/noida/ |
| **Practice focus** | Aviation · Insurance · Mergers & Acquisitions · Corporate |
| **Office head** | **Mr. Dinesh Gupta** (joined August 2025 to lead and expand the corporate practice) |
| **Notes** | Newest office. Sector-focused on highly regulated industries serving NCR-based clients. |

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## Quick-Dial Phone List

| Office | Phone |
|---|---|
| Mumbai HO (Apeejay) | 022-6924-7400 |
| Mumbai Excelsior | 022-697-40500 |
| Kolkata | +91 33 4813 1001 |
| Bengaluru | 080-4167-2444 |
| Hyderabad | 040-6666-5166 |
| Cochin | 0484-3583961 |
| **General / Marketing line** | **+91 836-9995919** |

Delhi, Chennai and Noida route through the general number.

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