Law: Arbitration Act (X of 1940)

Section:

(a) Arbitration Act (X of 1940), Sch. I, para. 3-Expression "after entering on reference"-Means after arbitrator does some thing in pursuance of reference-Issuing notice to parties for appearance before him-Amounts to entering upon reference.   Baker v. Stephens (1867) 2 Q B 523 not fol.   Abdul Majid v. Bhawal Bakhsh P L D 1950 Lah. 228 dis tinguished.   Shambhu Nath v. Hari Shankar Lai A I R 1954 All. 673 held not applicable.   Sardar Mal Hardat Rai v. Sheo Bakhsh Rai Sri Narain I L R 1922 All. 432 ; Amin Agencies Ltd. v. Haji Moosa Haji Oomar P L D 1953 Sind 57 ; Sind Cotton Exporters v. A. B. Sadiq Brothers P L D 1955 Sind 268 ; Ismail Brothers Ltd. v. S. M. Fazail & Co. P L D 1958 Kar. 158 ; Bajranglal Laduram v. Ganesh Commercial Co. A I R 1951 Cal. 78 ; Bhogilal Purshottam v. Chimanlal Amritlal A I R 1928 Bom. 49 ; Soneylal Thakur v. Lachhminarain Thakur A I R 1957 Pat. 395 ;   Hari Shankar Lai v. Shambhu Nath A I R 1962 S C 78 ; lossifoglu v. Coumantaros L R 1940 K B 396 and Muhammad Anwar Khan v. Wall Muhammad P L D 1956 Lah. 202 ref.   (b) Arbitration Act (X of 1940), S. 28-Discretion to; extend time-Cannot be exercised in favour of party guilty of negligence ---Arbitrator not taking reference seriously and prolonging proceeding on flimsy grounds-Court, held, justified in refusing to extend time.   Shambhu Nath v. Hari Shankar Lai A I R 1954 All. 673 ; Bhogilal Purshottam v. Chimanlal Amritlal A I R 1928 Bom. 49 and Kesholal Ramdayal Kahar v. Laxman Rao Ramkrishna Rao Deshpande A I R 1940 Nag. 386 ref. JUDGMENT   WAHIDUDDIN AHMED, J.----This Letters Patent Appeal is against the judgment of our brother Qadeeruddin Ahmed, J. in Suit No. 35/1959 decided on the original side of this Court by judgment dated 19th January 1960. By this judgment the learned Single Judge set aside the award filed by the arbitrator.   Briefly the facts leading to the appeal are : that the respondents entered into anagreement for constructing Rating quarters. On 30th September 1952, the respondents commenced the work but it was stopped under the directions of the appellants on the 27th of October 1952. Certain changes…