law: Arbitration Act 1940
  Section 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.
  (2) A plea that the arbitral tribunal does not
  
  have jurisdiction shall be raised not later than the submission of the
  
  statement of defense; however, a party shall not be precluded from raising such
  
  a plea 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 to 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 sub-section (3) and, where the arbitral
  
  tribunal takes a decision rejecting the plea, continue with the arbitral
  
  proceedings and make an arbitral award.
  (6) A party aggrieved by such an arbitral
  
  award may make an application for setting aside such an arbitral award in
  
  accordance with section 34.