In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court has clarified the applicability of Section 34(2)(a) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. The Court held that the pre-2019 amendment version of Section 34(2)(a) is applicable to arbitration proceedings initiated and completed before the 2019 Amendment. This ruling has significant implications for the arbitration process, as it ensures that the version of Section 34(2)(a) in existence before the amendment will be applied to proceedings initiated prior to the amendment.