HPCL & ors. vs. M/s Paonta HP Centre & anr. OMP(M) No. 204 of 2025 29.5.2026 Present: Mr. Neeraj Gupta, Senior Advocate, assisted by Mr. Nitin Thakur, Advocate, for the applicants. Mr. Balram Sharma, Senior Advocate, assisted by Dr. Sahil Malhotra, Advocate, for respondent No. 1. By way of present application, a prayer has been made to condone the delay, which, as per the report of the Registry, is 29 days. Delay in filing the objections has been sought to be condoned on the ground, as taken in the application. When, put to notice, the grounds so taken in the application, have been contested/controverted by the non-applicant. Considering the stand, as taken in the application, this Court is of the view that benefit of condonation of delay is required to be given to the applicant, as the matter should be decided on merits and not on the basis of technicalities. In view of above, delay in filing the objections, is ordered to be condoned. The application is, thus, disposed of. Arb. Appeal No. ______ Be registered. Admit OMPST No. 19088 of 2025 Be registered. The appeal, preferred by the appellant has been admitted for hearing, which certainly will take sufficient long time, for its disposal. As such, during pendency of the appeal, execution of award, dated 24.12.2024, and order dated 12.3.2025, passed by the sole Arbitrator in Arbitration case No. 82 of 2018, titled as, ‘M/s Paonta H.P. Centre versus Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited & others’, is ordered to be stayed, subject to deposit of the entire awarded amount, alongwith up-to-date interest, within a period of eight weeks from today. The application is, thus, disposed of. Modification/alteration/vacation, on motion. (Virender Singh) Judge May 29, 2026 (kalpana)