Under Section 31 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, an award must be in writing, signed by the arbitrator(s), and state the reasons on which it is based unless the parties have agreed that no reasons are required. It must also state its date and the seat of arbitration.
In a three-member tribunal, an award can be made by majority, with any dissenting arbitrator entitled to record separate reasons, though the majority decision still binds the parties.
Once signed and delivered, a domestic award becomes enforceable as a decree of the court once the 90-day period for filing a challenge under Section 34 has passed without a challenge being filed, or once a challenge has been dismissed.