2026:HHC:7370 IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH SHIMLA Arb. Appeal No. 548/2025 Reserved on: 09.03.2026 Decided on: 16.03.2P026 Balwant & ors. …..Appellants Versus National Highway Authority of India & ors. ….Respondents ______________________________________________________________

Coram:

The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Romesh Verma, Judge.

Whether approved for reporting?1 For the Appellants: Mr. Anirudh Sharma, Advocate.

For the Respondents: Ms. Shreya Chauhan, Advocate, for respondent No.1.

Mr. Manish Thakur, Deputy Advocate General, for respondent No.2.

Romesh Verma, Judge The present appeal arises out of the judgment dated

6.6.2025 passed by the learned District Judge, Mandi in Arbitration Petition No. 987/2024, whereby the objections preferred by the respondent/NHAI against the Award dated 6.3.2024 passed by the Divisional Commissioner, Mandi, exercising the powers of Arbitrator under National Highways

1Whether reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? Yes.

Act, 1956 (for brevity, “the Act”) have been partly allowed and the award passed by the Arbitrator has been partly set aside.

2 Facts, which are necessary for adjudication of the instant appeal, are that the Cent