STATE OF WEST BENGAL vs SREE SREE MA ENGINEERING & ANR.

The Supreme Court held that under the Arbitration Act, 1940, an unsigned award cannot be made a rule of the Court, as mandated by Section 16 and Section 28. However, the Court recognized that this is a formal defect and can extend the time for the arbitrator to sign the award. The Court remitted the award back to the arbitrator for signature, extending the time by four months, thereby ensuring that the efforts of the parties are not wasted and justice is served.