In Brief
The State of Uttar Pradesh appealed a 2010 arbitration award in favour of a contractor (Satish Chand Shivhare & Brothers) for unpaid construction contract dues. The state's appeal to the High Court was filed 337 days late, and the court dismissed it without considering the merits. The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal, holding that while courts may liberally condone delays in exceptional cases, administrative and bureaucratic delays within government departments do not constitute sufficient cause. The Court held that the law of limitation binds all parties equally, including governments, and that proper procedural diligence is mandatory.
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