When nominating an arbitrator, parties should weigh genuine subject-matter expertise relevant to the dispute (construction, technology, finance, and so on), realistic availability to meet the procedural calendar without repeated adjournments, and demonstrable neutrality — no undisclosed relationship with either party or their counsel.
Under Section 12 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, a prospective arbitrator must disclose in writing any circumstances likely to give rise to justifiable doubts about their independence or impartiality — parties should review this disclosure carefully rather than treating it as a formality.
A curated, empanelled roster — the model most institutions use — gives parties a pool of pre-vetted candidates with disclosed track records, rather than requiring each party to independently vet a nominee's credentials and conflicts from scratch.