STATE OF KERALA Vs. P. K. RAMACHANDRAN

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The question raised for consideration in these Writ it Appeals and the Original Petition being similar they have been heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment.

(2.) Since long, the High Court of Kerala had been experiencing acute shortage of space and lack of accommodation in its existing building. It was therefore decided to construct a new multistoreyed complex. This was approved by the Government of Kerala and administrative sanction was given in November, 1993. Detailed estimates were prepared. The site proposed for the new High Court Complex is the Ram Mohan Palace compound itself on the eastern side of the existing High Court building. The major portion of the area in which the new High Court Complex is planned to be constructed was being occupied by offices connected with the High Court and Advocate General's office. These offices were thus required to be shifted and the site was to be cleared before the construction could start. In the situation, the construction of the entire building complex could not be started as a whole and the construction was thus taken up in the available space. For the purpose of construction, the building was divided into 11 blocks, viz., block A to H. These blocks were further divided into 6 works as follows:

(3.) Initially, willingness was invited from the qualified contractors to be selected for the work. As a result of this, 10 contractors were pre qualified for the purpose of the construction of the High Court buildings. The persons selected as pre qualified contractors were: