NHAI Vs Pratap Singh — Himachal Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

NHAI Vs Pratap Singh — Himachal Pradesh HC (2026) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Condonation of 258 days' delay in filing the appeal; appeal admitted with records to be sent for and listing in due course; stay of operation, implementation and execution of the impugned order dated 13.06.2024 and the arbitral award dated 03.01.2022 during the pendency of the appeal, conditional on deposit of the entire awarded amount with up-to-date interest within eight weeks.

Issue for consideration

Whether the 258 days' delay in filing the appeal against the impugned order should be condoned. +1 more

Court's answer

The condonation application is allowed and the 258 days' delay in filing the appeal is condoned.

Ratio / Principle

Operation, implementation and execution of the impugned order dated 13.06.2024 (learned District Judge, Bilaspur) and of the arbitral award dated 03.01.2022 are stayed during the pendency of the appeal, subject to deposit of the entire awarded amount with up-to-date interest within eight weeks.

Key takeaways

The appeal is admitted; records are to be sent for and the matter listed in due course.ratio¶16

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Order dated 01.07.2026 (Romesh Verma, Judge) in OMP(M) No.63 of 2025: NHAI's application for condonation of 258 days' delay in filing an arbitration appeal against the impugned order dated 13.06.2024 of the learned District Judge, Bilaspur (arising from an arbitral award dated 03.01.2022) was allowed, the delay being attributed to the case's disposal never having been intimated by the previous counsel and to the earlier withdrawal of 362 cases from M/s M.V. Kini & Co. and their allotment to M/s Nishaank Mattoo & Associates. The appeal (registered as Arb. Appeal No._______ of 2026) was admitted, with records to be sent for and the matter listed in due course. In OMPST No.10030 of 2025, the operation, implementation and execution of the impugned order and the arbitral award were stayed during the pendency of the appeal, subject to deposit of the entire awarded amount with up-to-date interest within eight weeks.

NHAI vs. Pratap Singh

OMP(M) No.63 of 2025

01.07.2026 Present:

Ms. Shreya Chauhan, Advocate, for the applicant.

Mr. Dhiraj Thakur, Advocate, for the respondent.

OMP(M) No.63 of 2025

The present application has been filed for condonation of 258 days’ delay in filing the present appeal. It has been averred that the impugned order was passed by learned District Judge on 13.06.2024. Learned counsel for the applicant had applied for certified copy of impugned judgment on 11.11.2024 and the same was delivered on 23.11.2024. However, the disposal of the case was not within the knowledge of the applicant as the same was never intimated to the applicant by its counsel.

Earlier also, due to inefficiency and lackadaisical attitude of the law firm, namely, M/s M.V. Kini & Co., as many as 362 cases were withdrawn from the law firm and allotted to M/s Nishaank Mattoo & Associates. Therefore, it has been prayed that the delay in filing the appeal is neither intentional nor willful, but the same has occurred due to unavoidable circumstances.

Learned counsel for the appearing non-applicant has no objection in case the application is allowed.

Consequently, in view of the averments as made in the application, which is duly supported by an affidavit and in view of submissions as made by learned counsel for the applicant, the present application is allowed and delay in filing the appeal is condoned.

Accordingly, the application stands disposed of.

Arb. Appeal No._______ of 2026

Appeal be registered.

Heard.

Admit .

Send for records. List in due course.

OMPST No.10030 of 2025

Be registered. Heard

Subject to deposit of entire awarded amount along with upto-date interest by the appellant/applicant within a period of eight weeks from today, the operation, implementation and execution of impugned order dated 13.06.2024, as passed by learned District Judge, Bilaspur as well as arbitral award dated 03.01.2022 during the pendency of appeal is ordered to be stayed.

Application stands disposed of.

( Romesh Verma ) Judge

July 01, 2026 (vt)