Manipur High Court
State Of Manipur And 2 Others vs M/S The Simplex Infrastructures Ltd. ... on 17 March, 2026
Author: Ahanthem Bimol Singh
Bench: Ahanthem Bimol Singh
Digitally signed by
SHAMURAILATPA SHAMURAILATPAM SUSHIL
M SUSHIL SHARMA SHARMA
Date: 2026.03.17 19:33:36 +05'30'
Sl. Nos. 8-10
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR
AT IMPHAL
Arb.A. No. 1 of 2024
State of Manipur and 2 others
......Appellants
Vs.
M/S The Simplex Infrastructures Ltd. through its Director
......Respondent
With MC(Arb.A.) No. 1 of 2024 With MC(Arb.A.) No. 4 of 2025 BEFORE HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH (ORDER) s (Order of the Court was made by M. Sundar, CJ) 17.03.2026.
[1] In the hearing today, Mr. M. Devananda, learned senior counsel and learned Additional Advocate General, State of Manipur instructed by learned State Counsel Ms. N. Jyotsana for the appellants {'the 3 (three) appellants' shall be collectively referred to as 'State' for the sake of convenience} and Mr. Surya Das Singh (Mr. SD Singh) along Ms. Ningthoujam Diana Devi, learned counsel on record for the sole respondent ('respondent' shall be referred to as 'contractor' for the sake of convenience) are before this Court.
[2] After some further arguments, learned counsel on both sides, on instructions, agreed that elements of settlement exist and Page 1 of 3 therefore submitted that the captioned matter can be referred to mediation. We accede to this request.
[3] It is deemed appropriate for the sake of specificity to clarify that mediation will be qua the entire matter including the arbitral award dated 12.01.2023. It has become necessary to write this clarification as the captioned appeal is a statutory appeal under Section 37 of 'the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 (26 of 1996)' {'A&C Act' for the sake of brevity} which is directed against an order of Section 34 Court dismissing a CoD ('CoD' denotes 'Condonation of Delay') application. [4] Both sides, on instructions, also agreed on a Mediator and the agreed Mediator is Mr. Salam Imocha Singh, a retired learned District Judge (retired from Manipur Judicial Service Grade-I) who is also a trained Mediator.
[5] Let the matter be listed before the Mediation Centre under the aegis of High Court of Manipur on 01.04.2026 (Wednesday) at 12 noon which shall be the first mediation sitting. [6] Mr. M. Devananda, learned senior counsel and Additional Advocate General, on instructions, submits that as regards State an officer with written mandate to take a decision in the mediation proceeding itself and who has authority to sign mediation proceedings/settlement will be present before the mediation centre on 01.04.2026 at 12 noon without insisting on separate hearing notice. Likewise, Mr. SD Singh, learned counsel for respondent/contractor also Page 2 of 3 submits that an officer of the contractor company with written mandate from the Board (Board Resolution) to take a decision in the mediation proceedings itself and who has further mandate/authority to sign the mediation proceedings/settlement will be present on 01.04.2026 at 12 noon without insisting on separate hearing notice. If for any reason, Mr. Salam Imocha Singh is unavailable, the mediation centre shall assign the matter to any other learned mediator on 01.04.2026 at 12 noon. [7] This Court requisitions a mediation report from the mediation centre within a fortnight therefrom i.e., by 15.04.2026. [8] List under suitable cause list caption on 16.04.2026.
JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE Sushil P.S. I : Upload forthwith
P.S. II : All concerned will stand bound by web copy uploaded in High Court website inter-alia as the same is QR coded.
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