ISSUE:
Whether the jurisdiction of a court can be excluded through an agreement if the court already has jurisdiction under Section 20 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (“CPC”)?
Whether the principal place of business or the subordinate office of a corporation determines jurisdiction for disputes related to a cause of action?
RULE:
A suit may be instituted in a court within whose jurisdiction the defendant resides, carries on business, or works for gain, or the cause of action wholly or partly arises.
For corporations, jurisdiction lies at their principal office or at the subordinate office if the cause of action arises there.
Parties cannot confer jurisdiction on a court that does not inherently have it.
However, where multiple courts have jurisdiction, parties may agree to limit jurisdiction to one of those courts.