Legal Principle - Consequences of actions / Orders which are suffering from without jurisdiction:
A bare perusal of the aforementioned provisions would clearly show that even under section 17 of the 1996 Act the power of the arbitrator is a limited one. It cannot issue any direction which would go beyond the reference or the arbitration agreement. Furthermore, an award of the arbitrator under the 1996 Act is not required to be made a rule of court; the same is enforceable on its own force. Even under section 17 of 1996 Act, an interim order must relate to the protection of subject matter of dispute and the order may be addressed only to a party to the arbitration.
It cannot be addressed to other parties. Even under section 17 of the 1996 Act, no power is conferred upon the arbitral tribunal to enforce its order nor does it provide for judicial enforcement thereof. The said interim order of the learned arbitrator, therefore, being coram non judice was wholly without jurisdiction and, thus, a nullity. (Supreme Court of India - 2003)