Supreme Court adjourns Amazon-Future case hearing

The Supreme Court on Thursday adjourned hearings until July 20 in a case involving Amazon and Future Retail after Future's lawyer Harish Salve suggested the apex court take up the matter after the conclusion of an arbitration proceeding between the two parties that starts in Singapore on Monday.

“Next week we all will be busy before the tribunal,” Salve told the court suggesting the arguments in the ongoing cases between Future and Amazon may not be concluded in one afternoon on Thursday.

Friday is reserved for “miscellaneous” cases in the apex court, according to a Future Group lawyer. “If it doesn’t finish today then My Lord, Your Lordship will accommodate us next week.” Salve suggested that the court rather hear the case once the arbitration in Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) is concluded next week. Amazon’s lawyer Gopal Subramanian said he would have “no difficulty” in deferring the hearing even as he said he could also finish his submissions on Thursday afternoon as well.


The SIAC is scheduled to start its pre-arbitration hearing on whether Future Retail - along with promoter group Future Coupons - could be a party to the SIAC proceedings in an Amazon’s plea challenging a proposed deal to sell Future Group’s assets to Reliance Retail.