Recommended procedural order Sri lanka national arbitration centre

WHEREAS, due to the health pandemic and the epidemic in Sri Lanka and WHEREAS, the State (GOSL) had declared a Police Curfew under the Quarantine Ordinance and, WHEREAS, the Director General of Health Services has made Orders accordingly and WHEREAS, due to the aforesaid and Social Distancing policy, the office staff and work of the Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre have to be in compliance, and WHEREAS accordingly an impossibility has arisen to function during such period from 16th March 2020 to 18th May 2020.

Accordingly that no detriment or unfairness shall be caused to the Patrons of the Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre, the Arbitrators, the relevant Parties, Witnesses, and Lawyers in the arbitral process conducted under the auspices of the Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre.

The Board of Governors of Sri Lanka National Arbitration Centre has accordingly resolved at its Board Meeting under the business of Legal Issues and Time Bar to disregard such relevant time period and to direct procedural order under Section 17 of the Arbitration Act and/or Direction to such effect be made accordingly to effect the aforesaid.

Procedural Order / Direction

“’That for all purposes for the computation of the time period, the period commencing 16th March 2020 until 18th May 2020 shall be disregarded and not counted for any purposes of time calculation”.