NHAI Vs Maya Devi — Himachal Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

NHAI Vs Maya Devi — Himachal Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Delay in filing the main appeal condoned and appeal admitted with records to be called for and paperbook to be supplied to respondent's counsel; operation, implementation and execution of the impugned judgment and the impugned arbitralaward stayed during pendency of appeal, conditional on deposit of the entire awarded amount with upto date interest in the Registry within eight weeks; both applications disposed of.

Issue for consideration

Whether the delay in filing the main appeal against the impugned judgment dated 17.03.2025 should be condoned. +1 more

Court's answer

The delay in filing the main appeal is condoned and the appeal is directed to be registered.

Ratio / Principle

The interim stay is made conditional on the applicant depositing the entire awarded amount along with up-to-date interest in the Registry of the court within eight weeks.

Key takeaways

Operation, implementation and execution of the impugned judgment as well as the impugned arbitral award shall remain stayed during the pendency of the appeal.ratio¶15

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Order of Romesh Verma, Judge, dated 23.6.2026, in OMP (M) No. 24/2026 (NHAI vs. Maya Devi): Delay in filing the main appeal against the impugned judgment dated 17.03.2025 is condoned on the averment that the certified copy, applied for on 21.6.2025 and delivered on 22.7.2025, was never intimated to the applicant by its erstwhile law firm M/s M.V. Kini & Co.; the delay was stated to be neither intentional nor deliberate and the application was supported by affidavit, with the respondent's counsel raising no objection. The appeal was admitted, records ordered to be sent for, and the appellant directed to supply the entire paperbook to respondent's counsel. Interim relief: operation, implementation and execution of the impugned judgment as well as the impugned arbitral award were stayed during the pendency of the appeal, subject to the applicant depositing the entire awarded amount along with upto date interest in the Registry within eight weeks. Applications stand disposed of.

NHAI vs. Maya Devi

OMP (M) No. 24/2026

23.6.2026 Present: Ms. Sneh Bhimta, Advocate, vice counsel for the applicant.

Mr. Anirudh Sharma, Advocate, for respondent.

OMP (M) No. 24/2026

The present application has been filed for

condonation of delay in filing the main appeal. It has been averred in the application that even though copy of the impugned judgment, dated 17.03.2025 was applied by counsel for the applicant on 21.6.2025 and was delivered on 22.7.2025, however disposal of the case was not within the knowledge of the applicant as the same was never intimated to the applicant by its counsel/Law Firm i.e. M/s M.V. Kini & Co. Due to such inefficiency and lackadaisical attitude of the aforesaid Law Firm, cases were withdrawn from it. When the applicant inquired from all the Law Firms about pendency of all the cases pending in various Forums, it came to the knowledge of the applicant that objection petitions pertaining to Muhal Behlag have already been disposed of. Accordingly, prompt action was taken for preparation of the instant appeal. It has been further averred that the aforesaid delay is neither intentional nor deliberate, but has occurred due to unavoidable circumstances, which were beyond the control of the applicant.

Learned counsel for the respondent, on instructions, submits that he has no objection in case the application is allowed.

Consequently, in view of the reasons stated in

the application, which is duly supported by an affidavit, coupled with submissions made by the learned counsel for the applicant, delay in filing the main appeal is condoned. Appeal be registered. Application stands disposed of.

Arb. Appeal No. /2026

Admit. Send for the records. Learned counsel for the appellant is directed to supply a copy of entire paperbook to the learned counsel for the respondent during the course of the day.

List in due course.

OMP No. /2026

Be registered. Heard. Subject to the applicant’s depositing entire awarded amount along with upto date interest in the Registry of this Court within a period of eight weeks from today, operation, implementation and execution of the impugned judgment as also the impugned arbitral award, shall remain stayed during the pendency of the appeal. Application stands disposed of.

(Romesh Verma) Judge

(pankaj)

23.6.2026