M/S. Watertech Engineers Private Limited v. Syama Prasad Mookherjee Port, Kolkata And ORS.

OCD-35 ORDER SHEET

IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA

ORIGINAL SIDE (Commercial Division) AP-COM/347/2026 M/S. WATERTECH ENGINEERS PRIVATE LIMITED VS SYAMA PRASAD MOOKHERJEE PORT, KOLKATA AND ORS.

BEFORE:

The Hon'ble JUSTICE GAURANG KANTH Date : 18th May, 2026.

Appearance Mr. Rohit Das, Adv.

Mr. Kishwar Rahman, Adv.

Ms. Divya Tekriwal, Adv.

...for the petitioner Mr. Ashok Kumar Jena, Adv.

..for the respondents The Court: The present petition has been filed by the petitioner under Section 29A of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 seeking extension of the mandate of the arbitral tribunal for conclusion of the arbitral proceedings and publication of the arbitral award. Learned Counsel for the petitioner submits that the sole Arbitrator was appointed vide order dated 19.12.2023 by this Court to adjudicate the disputes between the parties. The mandate of the arbitral tribunal was mutually extended by the parties till 10.11.2025. Thereafter, the mandate of the tribunal was further extended for a period of six months, which expired on 10.05.2026.

Learned Counsel for the parties submits that the matter is at the stage of publication of the award. In view thereof, the petitioner seeks extension of the mandate of the arbitral tribunal for the publication of the award by a period of three months.

Learned Counsel for the respondent states that he has no objection to the extension of the mandate of the arbitral tribunal. Upon consideration of submissions of both the parties and the materials placed on record, this Court is satisfied that there has been no undue and unwarranted delay on the part of the learned sole Arbitrator in adjudicating the proceedings. The matter is at the stage of the publication of the award.

Having regard to the advanced stage of the proceedings and in the interest of justice, the mandate of the arbitral tribunal is extended further for a period of three months from today.

The learned sole arbitrator is requested to make all reasonable endeavours to conclude the arbitral proceedings and publish the arbitral award within the extended time period.

With the aforesaid observations, the present petition stands disposed of.

(GAURANG KANTH, J.) S. Mandi