JUDGMENT

Prateek Jalan, J. (Oral)

1. These three petitions under Section 29A of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act 1996 [hereinafter, "the Act"] have been filed for extension of the mandate of the learned arbitrator, who is adjudicating disputes between the parties under three contract agreements issued under separate letters of acceptance dated 22.05.2009. It is stated that the mandate of the learned arbitrator expired on 20.03.2023 and an extension is sought for a period of six months.

2. The arbitration proceedings commenced pursuant to a common order dated 23.08.2021 passed in ARB. P. 794-96/2020. Hon'ble Mr. Justice A.K. Pathak, former Judge of this Court, was appointed as the arbitrator. In the arbitration proceedings, the claim arising out of ARB. P. 794/2020 was categorized as "Arbitration case No. 1" [OMP(MISC)(COMM) 124/2023], ARB. P. 795/2020 as "Arbitration case No. 2" [OMP (MISC)(COMM) 125/2023] and ARB. P. 796/2020 as "Arbitration case No. 3" [OMP (MISC)(COMM) 123/2023]. To maintain consistency, nomenclature used by the learned arbitrator will be followed in this judgment.

3. The learned arbitrator scheduled a preliminary hearing on 27.09.2021, wherein he granted