IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT MADRAS DATED: 23.01.2026 CORAM THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE N.ANAND VENKATESH M/s.Sundaram Finance Limited, No.21, Pattullos Road, Chennai – 600 002. .... Applicant Vs.

1. Ellaiyappan.D

2. Ms.Jayalakshmi.E .... Respondents PRAYER to pass an order under Section 29-A(4) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 extending the time by a period of 6 months to enable the arbitrator to pass Award in A.C.P. No.SFL/VI/MAMC/56 of

2024 between the applicant and the respondents.

For Applicant : Mr.M.Arunachalam For Respondents : Mr.R.Balagurusamy

ORDER

This application has been filed under Section 29-A(4) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 [in short, ‘the Act’] extending the time by a period of 6 months to enable the arbitrator to pass Award in A.C.P. No.SFL/VI/MAMC/56 of 2024 between the applicant and the respondents.

2. Heard the learned counsel for the petitioner and the learned counsel for the respondents.

3. The respondents have filed a counter and have opposed this application on the ground that the mandate came to an end as early as on 08.01.2025 and thereafter, even without extension of mandate, the proceedings went upto 04.10.2025. Thereafter, the present application has been filed in December, 2025 and the applicant is seeking for extension of mandate. Therefore, the respondents have taken a stand that the present application is liable to be dismissed by this Court.

4. Upon carefully perusing the papers placed before this Court, it is seen that the pleadings were completed on 29.01.2025. As per Section 29(A)(1) of the Act, the proceedings must be completed within a period of one year from the date of completion of pleadings. The learned Arbitrator realized that he may not be able to complete the proceedings within the said one year period and, therefore, requested the applicant to seek for extension of time through proceedings dated 04.11.2025. Pursuant to the same, the present application has been filed before this Court.

5. Taking into consideration the facts and circumstances of the case and considering the fact that the proceedings are now at the stage of arguments of the respondents and for passing of the final award, this Court is inclined to extend the mandate of the Tribunal for a further period of three months.

This application is disposed of in the above terms.

23.01.2026 mp N.ANAND VENKATESH, J.

mp

23.01.2026