OD-4 ORDER SHEET IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA ORIGINAL SIDE AP/92/2025 PANJAB ALI ALIAS PUNJAB ALI AND ORS VS STATE OF WEST BENGAL AND ORS BEFORE:

The Hon’ble JUSTICE GAURANG KANTH Date : 19th January, 2026.

Appearance:

Mr. Hemanta Kumar Das, Adv.

…for the petitioner Mr. Amit Meharia, Adv.

Ms. Paromita Banerjee, Adv.

Mr. Rohan Raj, Adv.

Mr. Yash Meharia, Adv.

…for the respondent no.4 (NHAI)

The Court: In the present case, the arbitral award dated 04.10.2023 was received by the petitioner on 22.01.2024. The petition under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 was admittedly filed only on 17.06.2025. The total time elapsed between the date of receipt of the award and the date of filing of the petition is 512 days, far exceeding the maximum period of limitation prescribed under the statute.

Section 34(3) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 mandates that an application for setting aside an arbitral award must be made within a period of three months from the date on which the party making the application receives the arbitral award. The proviso to Section 34(3) permits the Court, upon sufficient cause being shown, to entertain the application within a further period