Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 18: High Court has stayed the operation of Finance Department circular whereby threshold limit of e-tendering of works and procurement contracts has been raised from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh.
The stay was granted in a petition filed by Ravinder Singh and others challenging the legality of circular issued by Director Codes, Finance Department vide No. A/21(2003)-misc-A-531 dated 19.09.2016.
After hearing Senior Advocate R K Gupta with Advocate Prem Sadhotra appearing for the petitioners whereas Deputy AG Farz Iqbal appearing for the State, Justice Janak Raj Kotwal issued notice to the State and observed, “by this circular, circular No. 4 ITD of 2015 dated 20.05.2015 issued by the State Government, Information Technology Department, whereby this limit was lowered from Rs 5,00,000 to Rs 1,00,000 stands modified”, adding “it is pointed out that Circular No. 4 ITD was issued pursuant to the office memorandum of Department of Commerce, Government of India”.
“In terms of Circular No. 4 ITD dated 20.05.2015 all works and procurements contracts valuing more than Rs 1,00,000 were put to e-tendering till date but in terms of the impugned Circular dated 19.09.2016, e-tendering would be required only in regard to the works and procurement contracts valuing more than Rs 10,00,000”, court observed, adding “in this backdrop legality of the impugned circular is assailed in this writ petition”.
After hearing both the sides, Justice Kotwal ordered that till next date before the bench the impugned Circular dated 19.09.2016 shall not be given effect to.
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