OCD-7 ORDER SHEET IN THE HIGH COURT AT CALCUTTA COMMERCIAL DIVISION ORIGINAL SIDE AP-COM/423/2026 ELECON ENGINEERING COMPANY LIMITED VS STEEL AUTHORITY OF INDIA LIMITED BEFORE: The Hon’ble JUSTICE GAURANG KANTH Date : 15th June, 2026. Appearance Mr. Pradeep Jewrajka, Adv. Ms. Pooja Jewrajka, Adv. Mr. Ayush Singhania, Adv. …for petitioner Mr. D. Raj Basu, Adv. Mr. Subhajit Biswas, Adv. …for respondent The Court: The petitioner has preferred the present petition 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 Senior Counsel for the petitioner submits that this Court vide order dated 19.03.2021 appointed a sole arbitrator to adjudicate the disputes between the parties. The pleadings were completed on 23.11.2023. With the consent of the parties the mandate of the arbitral tribunal was extended by six months till 23.05.2025. This Court vide order dated 20.05.2025 extended the mandate of the Arbitral Tribunal for a period of one year, which is due to expire on 15.06.2026. Learned Counsel for the petitioner states that cross-examination of the second witness of the respondent is in progress. 2 Learned Counsel for the respondent states that he has no objection to the extension of the mandate of the arbitral tribunal. Learned Counsel for the petitioner further submits that so far 33 hearings have already been conducted by the learned Arbitrator. Upon consideration of the submissions of 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 concluding the proceedings. 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 one year 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 AR(CR)