JUDGMENT :

(Sandeep Sharma, J.)

By way of instant petition filed under S. 29-A(5) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (hereinafter, ‘Act’), prayer has been made on behalf of petitioner for extension of time, enabling the learned Arbitrator to conclude the arbitration proceedings and pass arbitral award.

2. Precisely, the facts of the case, as emerge from the record, are that vide Award No. 2/2015-16 dated 28.11.2015 land of petitioner situate on Khasra No. 1013/882/830/1, Village Behna Jatta/180, Tehsil Jhandutta, District Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, came to be acquired for the construction of four-lane (Bilaspur-Nerchowk Section) road. Since the petitioner and proforma respondents were not satisfied with the amount of compensation assessed by the Competent Authority-cum- Land Acquisition (CALA), they filed petition under S.3G(5) of National Highways Act, 1956 seeking enhancement of compensation awarded vide supplementary award No.2/2015-16 dated 28.11.2015 before learned Arbitrator-cum-Divisional Commissioner, Mandi.

3. Though pleadings in the case were completed on 23.5.2018, and matter was fixed for evidence thereafter, but the fact remains that till date, arbitral award