IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Date of Decision: 08.01.2025 M/s G.G. Construction …Applicant Versus ACB (India) Limited …Respondent CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE JAGMOHAN BANSAL Present: - Mr. Reshabh Bajaj, Advocate and Ms. Ojaswini Gagneja for the applicant None for the respondent ***

JAGMOHAN BANSAL, J. (Oral)

1. Through instant application under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (for short ‘1996 Act’), the applicant is seeking appointment of an Arbitrator.

2. Despite service through ordinary mode as well as dasti process, there is no representation of the respondent. It appears that the respondent has opted to abstain from joining the proceedings before this Court. The matter is pending before this Court since February’ 2024 and it cannot be kept pending for indefinite period especially when the prayer in the application is confined to appointment of an Arbitrator who ultimately would adjudicate rights and liabilities of the parties. Thus, this Court is left with no option except to adjudicate the case.

3. Two Letters of Intent (for short ‘LOI’) dated 22.08.2019 (Annexure P-1) and 27.09.2019 (Annexure P-2) were issued in favour of the app