Ajay Kumar Sood vs State Of H.P.& Anr

Sandeep Sharma, J

By way of instant petition filed under Section 29-A of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996, prayer has been made on behalf of the

applicant/petitioner for extension of time for making the arbitral award.

Learned Additional Advocate General representing the non-applicants/respondents has no objection to aforesaid prayer made on behalf of the

applicant/petitioner, rather learned Additional Advocate General states that since on account of Covid-19, learned Arbitrator has been not able to

complete the proceedings within the time extended by this Court, it would be in the interest of justice to enlarge the time further.

Having heard learned counsel representing the parties and perused the averments contained in the petition, which is duly supported by an affidavit,

this Court finds that though parties have put in appearance before the learned Arbitrator in terms of the reference drawn from the arbitration, but

arbitration proceedings could not be taken to its logical end on account of Covid-19 and as such, prayer has been made on behalf of one of the party

for extension of time. Since, there is an agreement interse parties for extension of time, there appears to be no justification to deny the prayer made in

the petition.

Consequently, in view of the above, the present petition is allowed and further six months time, as prayed for, is granted to learned Arbitrator to

make arbitral award in the case at hand. Learned counsel representing the parties undertake to apprise the learned Arbitrator with regard to passing

of the instant order, enabling him/her to do the needful within the time stipulated by this Court. The petition stands disposed of.