In its judgment dated August 20, 2018 in M/s Emkay Global Financial Services Limited v. Girdhar Sondhi[1], the Supreme Court of India examined whether a party can lead evidence in proceedings instituted under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (‘Arbitration Act’). Relying on its judgment in Fiza Developers & Inter-Trade Private Limited v. AMCI (India) Private Limited.[2], the Supreme Court held, inter alia, that in order to ascertain whether a party has “furnishe[d] proof” under Section 34(2)(a) of the Arbitration Act, a Court need not examine anything beyond the record of the proceedings before the arbitrator. If the matters relevant to the determination of issues exist, which are not contained in the record of the arbitration proceedings, the same may be brought to the notice of the Court by way of affidavits filed by the parties in the proceedings under Section 34 of the Arbitration Act. It was also held that cross-examination of persons swearing to such affidavits should not be permitted unless absolutely necessary.[1]M/s Emkay Global Financial Services Ltd. v. Girdhar Sondhi, 2018 SCC OnLine SC 1019 [2]Fiza Developers & Inter-Trade Pvt. Ltd. v. AMCI (India) Private Limited, (2009) 17 SCC 796