JUDGMENT (ORAL)

OMP(M) No. 63 of 2023

By way of this application, a prayer has been made for condonation of delay in filing the appeal.

2. Having heard learned Counsel for the parties and having gone through the averments made in the application, the same is allowed, as prayed for and delay in filing the appeal is condoned. Appeal be registered. The application stands disposed of.

3. With the consent of the parties, the appeal is being disposed of at this stage itself.

4. By way of this appeal filed under Section 37 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, (hereinafter referred to as ‘the 1996 Act’), the appellant has challenged judgment dated 17.05.2022, passed by the Court of learned District Judge, Mandi, District Mandi, H.P., in Arbitration Petition No.72 of 2019, titled as National Highways Authority of India versus Kanihya Lal and another, in terms whereof, the Arbitration Petition was allowed by the learned District in the following terms:-

“In view of the above, the present application(s) is allowed and an award dated 23.03.2019 passed by the learned Arbitrator is set aside. However, this will not prevent any of the parties from applying for the extension of time, i