Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. vs Buildmart Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd. – sllr 2008 volume 1 page 202

In the case between Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) Ltd. and Buildmart Lanka (Pvt.) Ltd., the court addressed the issue of whether the 60-day period under Section 32 of the Arbitration Act for filing an application to set aside an arbitral award should be calculated from the date the award is pronounced or from the date it is received by the applying party. It was held that the limitation period commences from when the award is received. This reaffirms the principle that procedural timelines in arbitration must provide actual notice and an opportunity to act, promoting fairness. Reference was made to Section 32 of the Arbitration Act, emphasizing that constructive receipt of the award, rather than its mere pronouncement, activates limitation periods. As a result, the High Court’s