law: The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
  8. Power to refer
  
  parties to arbitration where there is an arbitration agreement.
  1.  
  
    A
  
  judicial authority before which an action is brought in a matter which is the
  
  subject of an arbitration agreement shall, if a party so applies not later than
  
  when submitting his first statement on the substance of the dispute, refer the
  
  parties to arbitration.
  2.  
  
    The
  
  application referred to in subsection (1) shall not be entertained unless it is
  
  accompanied by the original arbitration agreement or a duly certified copy
  
  thereof.
  3.  
  
    Notwithstanding
  
  that an application has been made under sub- section (1) and that the issue is
  
  pending before the judicial authority, an arbitration may be commenced or
  
  continued and an arbitral award made.