Development of decision support system for resolution of construction disputes: a systemic approach

This paper sets forth a framework for understanding and administratively resolving disputes over time delay and extension in Indian construction contracts by means of a decision support system. This decision support system has been formed based on the primary rules of law that are applied to disputes involving time delay and extension issues. These primary rules are derived from the settled cases of Supreme Court of India and a few cases from High Courts, which again followed the already set rules of Supreme Court. Subsequently decision support systems can be developed for other dispute-prone clauses in Indian construction contracts. These decision support systems are also intended to serve as checklist for contract administrators to gather all relevant evidences before taking appropriate decisions that can stand almost all trials in future. Further these can be synthesized and improved to develop a strong knowledge based expert system in future which will serve as an efficient technology for dispute resolution for owners and contractors for all types of construction contract disputes.