In Brief
A partnership dispute required arbitration under a 1992 deed. After a sole arbitrator was appointed in 2020, proceedings extended beyond the statutory 12-month period for making an award. The arbitrator's mandate expired by operation of law in February 2023, but he adjourned proceedings without being extended. The Delhi High Court declined to substitute him but granted a further extension. The Supreme Court held that once an arbitrator's mandate expires under Section 29A(4) of the Arbitration Act, substitution is mandatory, not optional. Extension alone cannot revive an expired mandate. The Court substituted the arbitrator and directed proceedings to conclude within six months, reaffirming that time-bound arbitration is central to the Act's remedial purpose.
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