law: The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
  Chapter IV
  
  Jurisdiction of arbitral tribunals
  16. Competence of
  
  arbitral tribunal to rule on its jurisdiction.
  1.  
  
    The
  
  arbitral tribunal may rule on its own jurisdiction, including ruling on any
  
  objections with respect to the existence or validity of the arbitration
  
  agreement, and for that purpose,-
  a.   an arbitration clause
  
  which forms part of a contract shall be treated as an agreement independent of
  
  the other terms of the contract; and
  b.   a decision by the
  
  arbitral tribunal that the contract is null and void shall not entail ipso jure
  
  the invalidity of the arbitration clause.
  1.  
  
  
  2.  
  
    A
  
  plea that the arbitral tribunal does not have jurisdiction shall be raised not
  
  later than the submission of the statement of defence; however, a party shall
  
  not be precluded from raising such a pica merely because that he has appointed,
  
  or participated in the appointment of, an arbitrator.
  3.  
  
    A
  
  plea that the arbitral tribunal is exceeding the scope of its authority shall
  
  be raised as soon as the matter alleged to be beyond the scope of its authority
  
  is raised during the arbitral proceedings.
  4.  
  
    The
  
  arbitral tribunal may, in either of the cases referred it, in sub-section (2)
  
  
  
  or sub-section (3), admit a later plea if it considers the delay justified.
  5.  
  
    The
  
  arbitral tribunal shall decide on a plea referred to in sub section (2) or
  
  subsection (3) and, where the arbitral tribunal takes a decision rejecting the
  
  plea, continue with die arbitral proceedings and make an arbitral award.
  6.  
  
    A
  
  party aggrieve by such an arbitral award may make an application for setting
  
  aside such an arbitral award in accordance with section 34.