JUDGMENT
Vinod K. Sharma, J.
1. This revision petition has been filed against the order dated 26.8.2004 passed by the learned Civil Judge (Sr. Divn.), Bathinda allowing the application moved for amendment of the petition under Sections 16, 30 and 33 of the Arbitration Act, 1940 (for short ‘1940 Act7).
2. In pursuance to the reference made, the arbitrator passed an award on 23.7.1998 clearly mentioning therein that the proceedings were held under the Arbitration Act, 1940. The respondent Union of India on receipt of notice of filing of award in the Court filed objections against the said award before the learned Civil Judge (Sr. Divn.), Bathinda. However, during the pendency of the said proceedings an application was moved for amendment of the application to be one under Section 34 of the Arbitration and conciliation Act, 1996. The said amendment was allowed with the consent of the parlies and the learned Civil Judge (Sr. Divn.), Bathinda continued to proceed with the matter, even though under the New Act he had no such jurisdiction to entertain a petition under Section 34 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996. Thereafter, another application was moved by the union of India for amendment of the objection petition to bring it under Sections 16, 30 and 33 of the Act, 1940, primarily on the ground that the proceedings which had commenced prior to the commencement of the New Act were to be dealt with under the old Act. The said application was allowed. However, no further adjudication of the application took place, in view of stay granted by this Court.
3. The petitioner challenged the said order by way of present revision petition in this Court primarily on the ground that once the parties by consent had agreed to come under the New Act they could not be allowed to retract their stand and thereafter, got back to 1940 Act. This contention of the petitioner, who appears-in-person cannot be sustained. Firstly, under the Act, the parties have been given a right to come under the New Act with the consent when the proceedings are pending before the Arbitrator; Even if for the sake of arguments it is taken that the parties even after the passing of the award during the pendency of proceedings could come under the new Act, still in the present case, after moving the amendment application, the learned Civil Judge (Sr. Divn.), Bathinda did not accept their request in toto and did not transfer the objections to the Court of District Judge as the Civil Judge (Sr. Division.), Bathinda had no jurisdiction to entertain the objections against the award under the New Act.
4. The proceedings before the learned Civil Judge (Sr. Division), Bathinda could only to be taken in case the parties were proceeded under the 1940 Act. It may be noticed here that after the giving consent to the amendment of objection petition to bring it under Section 34 of the New Act, the petitioner raised an objection that this petition was not competent and, therefore, the necessity arose for amendment of the objection petition again. The petitioner placed reliance on the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the case of N.S. Nayak and Sons v. State of Goa , to contend that once a party has consented to proceed under the New Act they cannot revert back to the same. In this regard he made reference to para 11 of the judgment. The reading of the judgment would show that the contention of the petitioner is totally misconceived, rather the Hon’ble Supreme Court was pleased to lay down that the proceedings which have commenced before commencement of New Act would be governed by the old Act i.e. 1940 Act.
5. Faced with this situation, by placing reliance on the judgment of the Andhra Pradesh High Court in the case of A.P.S.R.T.C. Rep. By the Chief Civil Engineer-I v. P. Venkata Reddy and Ors. 1999(11) C.L.T. 18 it was contended that Arbitrator can be said to have entered on reference only on date when he applies his mind to the dispute raised by the parties and, therefore, the contention of the petitioner is that as the award was passed subsequent to coming into force of New Act and also the fact that new Arbitrator was appointed in the year 1987, the proceedings were required to be held under the New Act. This contention of the petitioner is also misconceived. The word used in the Act are “the commencement of the proceedings” not entering the reference. There fore, the authorities relied upon have no relevance to the matter in dispute in the present case.
Therefore, there is no merit in the present revision petition which is accordingly dismissed.
However, keeping in view the fact that matter before the Court is pending since 1988 and the matter has been delayed by misapplying the provisions of Act, the Court is directed to take decision on the objections filed by the petitioner expeditiously, preferably within six months from the date of receipt of copy of this order.