Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 25: In a petition filed by one Charan Choudhary seeking direction to respondents to allot the contract of building, owning and operating FCI 7500 MT Godown at Reasi for being declared as successful amongst the competing bidders, High Court today restrained Food Corporation of India from finalizing the contract in respect of NIT dated 30.01.2015 till next date of hearing.
Advocate Vikram Sharma appearing for the petitioner stated that the rates quoted by the petitioner in respect of the tender floated by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in the year 2011 were the lowest besides the petitioner fulfilled all the conditions requisite for award of contract, therefore, decision was taken by the FCI to award the contract to the petitioner.
However, due to pendency of OWP No.525/2012, the contract could not be awarded to the petitioner in view of interim order. Eventually, the writ petition was dismissed in default whereupon the petitioner requested for award of contract in terms of the stand of the FCI before the High Court. However, without deciding the representation of the petitioner, the respondents floated a fresh tender in respect of the same work and out of compulsion the petitioner had to participate in the tender.
Advocate Sharma further submitted that despite the petitioner being willing to execute the contract, which was floated by the respondents in 2011 at the rate quoted by him in 2011, and despite the present rates in respect of the work having gone up many folds, the respondents, on extraneous considerations, were not awarding the contract to the petitioner.
After hearing counsel for the petitioner, Justice B S Walia issued notice to respondents and directed that subject to objections from the other side and till the next date before the bench, the Food Corporation of India shall not finalize the award of contract in respect of NIT dated 30.01.2015.
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