The Delhi High Court has extended the mandate of the Sole Arbitrator by one year in a high-value infrastructure arbitration between NCC Limited and Indian Oil Corporation Limited, holding that pleadings were completed on the date of the rejoinder and that the Section 29A extension petition remains maintainable even after the statutory period expires.  

Issue of Law
Whether the arbitral tribunal’s mandate could be extended under Section 29A(4)–(5) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, and whether the 12-month clock under Section 29A(1) ran from filing of the Statement of Defence or from filing of the rejoinder (where a rejoinder was permitted and taken on record).  

Facts Referred
IOCL awarded NCC a contract for civil and structural works for the Paradip Refinery Project under an agreement dated 28.04.2010; the project completed with delay on 28.12.2015, and disputes arose on payments. Arbitration was invoked on 01.07.2017, a Sole Arbitrator was appointed by the Delhi High Court on 08.02.2019, and proceedings were stayed by the Supreme Court in 2019 before resuming in December 2022. The respondent’s Section 16 objection was dismissed by the arbitrator on 16.08.2023; the respondent filed its Statement of Defence on 30.04.2024 and NCC filed its rejoinder on 17.06.2024.  

Judgment
The Court held that when a rejoinder is permitted and filed, pleadings are deemed complete on the date of the last pleading (i.e., the rejoinder), and therefore the Section 29A(1) period ran from 17.06.2024 to 17.06.2025. It also held that an extension application is maintainable even after expiry of the statutory period. On the respondent’s allegations of arbitrator misconduct/disregard of Supreme Court directions, the Court declined to examine merits in a Section 29A petition, holding that such questions lie in Section 34/37 challenges, and confined itself to “sufficient cause”. Given the advanced stage (evidence completed; final arguments stage), the Court found sufficient cause and extended the arbitrator’s mandate by one year from the date of judgment, regularising the period 18.06.2025 to 14.01.2026.  

Read the official judgement/order here

Case title: NCC Limited v. Indian Oil Corporation Limited  
Case number: O.M.P. (MISC.) (COMM.) 592/2025  
Bench: Justice Jasmeet Singh  
Dates: Reserved 10.10.2025; Pronounced 14.01.2026