MANIPAL TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED Vs. BANK OF BARODA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) INTRODUCTION : The appellants have filed the present appeal impugning an interim order dtd. 8/6/2026 passed by the learned Single Judge in Writ Petition No.16741/2026 (GM-TEN) [impugned order]. In terms of the impugned order, the learned Single Judge has declined to grant any interim relief.

(2.) Appellant No.1 [MTL] had submitted its bid pursuant to the Request for Proposal for Empanelment of Vendors for Printing and Supply of Magnetic Strip and Variable QR code Printed Self-Service Passbook (SSPB) [RFP] issued by Respondent No.1 - Bank of Baroda [BoB]. However, MTL's bid was not evaluated because it did not meet the pre-qualification criteria under point No.14 of the tender conditions. The said disqualification was reflected on the Government eMarketplace portal [GeM Portal] on 26/5/2026 as under:

(3.) Aggrieved by being held ineligible, the appellants had filed the writ petition, inter alia, challenging the aforesaid disqualification [impugned disqualification]. Additionally, the appellants had challenged point No.14 of the pre-qualification criteria for submission of bids, which formed a part of the RFP [the impugned clause]. In the aforesaid context, the appellants sought interim relief, praying for a stay of the impugned disqualification. Further, they sought directions to BoB to permit MTL to participate in the tender process and to restrain BoB from finalising the tender process pursuant to the RFP. The learned Single Judge did not accede to the ad interim prayers, and this has led the appellants to file the present appeal. Respondent Nos.2 and 3, being the bidders whose bids have been ranked L-1 and L-2 respectively in the tender process, were impleaded as parties to the present appeal by an order dtd. 24/6/2026 passed on I.A No.2 of 2026.