CARETEL INFOTECH LTD Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner has filed the present petition impugning an order dated 22.02.2018 (hereafter 'the impugned order'), whereby the petitioner has been debarred from participating in any tender process of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India (the respondent), for a period of two years from the date of the said order. The aforesaid punitive measure was imposed on the petitioner on an allegation that it had submitted incorrect information with regard to the Call Centers, which were claimed to be functional at Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Jabalpur.

(2.) On 30.05.2017, the respondent floated an e-tender inviting bids for selection of Kisan Call Centers (KCC) for providing services to the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmer Welfare. The petitioner submitted its bid in consortium with M/s Life Digital Private Limited) on 19.06.2017. Along with its bid the petitioner also submitted details of the Call Centers which were being operated by the petitioner, indicating the number of seats operated at different locations. The said list also included Call Centres at Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad and Jabalpur.

(3.) The Technical Bid Evaluation Committee examined the petitioner's technical bid, which was found to be qualified. Accordingly, the Technical Bid Evaluation Committee recommended that the petitioner's financial bid be processed. The petitioner had indicated that it was operating Call Centers from eleven locations and in terms with the evaluation criteria, the maximum score was awarded to the petitioner for operating in more than ten locations.