UNION OF INDIA Vs. RAMA CONTRACTOR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner has filed the above-captioned petition under Sec. 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (hereafter the 'A&C Act') impugning an arbitral award dtd. 25/6/2019 (hereafter the 'impugned award') delivered by the Arbitral Tribunal comprising of a Sole Arbitrator.

(2.) The petitioner has filed the aforesaid application (IA No. 10943/2021) praying that the delay of 632 (six hundred and thirty-two) days in filing the above-captioned petition be condoned. The petitioner has also filed an application (IA No. 10944/2021) seeking condonation of delay of 10 (ten) days in re-filing the above-captioned petition. It is contended on behalf of the respondent that the petition has been filed beyond the period that can be condoned by this Court in terms of proviso to Sec. 34(3) of the A&C Act and therefore, the applications are liable to be rejected.

(3.) Thus, the principal controversy to be addressed is whether this Court can condone the delay in filing the above-captioned petition and if so, whether there are sufficient grounds to do so.