NATIONAL SEEDS CORPORATION LTD vs ASSOCIATED JUTE INDUSTRIES

Judgment text excerpt

$~4 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision: 14.05.2025 + FAO (COMM) 223/2024 & CM APPL. 67266/2024 NATIONAL SEEDS CORPORATION LTD .....Appellant Through: Mr Yashvardhan, Ms Smita Kapil, Ms Kritika Nagpal, Mr Pranav Das and Mr Gyanendra Shukla, Advocates. versus ASSOCIATED JUTE INDUSTRIES .....Respondent Through: None. CORAM: HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE VIBHU BAKHRU HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE TEJAS KARIA VIBHU BAKHRU, J. (ORAL) 1. The appellant has filed the above captioned appeal under Section 37(1)(c) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 [A&C Act] impugning an order dated 05.10.2023 [impugned order] passed by the learned Commercial Court in OMP (Comm) No.17/2021 captioned M/s. Associated Jute Industries v. National Seeds Corporation Limited allowing the application filed by the respondent under Section 34 of the A&C Act and setting aside the Arbitral Award dated 06.11.2020 [impugned award]. 2. The impugned order was passed on 05.10.2023. The present appeal has been filed after an inordinate delay of 315 days. The appellant has filed Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed FAO (COMM) 223/2024 Page 1 of 5 By:TARUN RANA Signing Date:22.05.2025 19:35:35 this application [CM APPL. 67266/2024] seeking condonation of the said delay. The only reason furnished for explaining the delay is that the appellant had sought instructions of the relevant Department as well as its counsel which took time. It has also entered into negotiations to resolve with the respondent to amicably resolve the disputes, which too took some time. 3. It is stated that immediately on becoming aware of the impugned order, the appellant sought legal opinion from its team and thereafter sought instructions from the necessary department to institute the appeal. It is stated that it took time