Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, where, without showing sufficient cause, —
(a) the claimant fails to communicate his statement of claim in accordance with sub-section (1) of section 23, the arbitral tribunal shall terminate the proceedings;
(b) the respondent fails to communicate his statement of defence in accordance with sub-section (1) of section 23, the arbitral tribunal shall continue the proceedings without treating that failure in itself as an admission of the allegations by the claimant 1[and shall have the discretion to treat the right of the respondent to file such statement of defence as having been forfeited].
(c) a party fails to appear at an oral hearing or to produce documentary evidence, the arbitral tribunal may continue the proceedings and make the arbitral award on the evidence before it.
___________________________
1. Ins. by s. 13, ibid. (w.e.f. 23-10-2015).
