NIRMAL CABS Vs. CHIEF GENERAL MANAGER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These writ petitions are directed against the impugned notification dated 07.10.2020, pre-closing the contracts of the petitioners viz.Contract No.9010030651 for hiring 4 Nos. of Bolero Camper, 9010030653 for hiring 17 Nos of Bolero, Contract No.9010030654 for hiring 4 Nos of Bolero Camper, Contract No.9001030648 for hiring 23 Nos of Mahindra Bolero and Contract No.9001030649 for hiring 4 Nos of Mahindra Camper.

(2.) The respondent, which is a Oil Corporation (Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited) has floated a tender vide No.V16SC17013 dated 06.06.2017 for hiring 133 Nos of light vehicles for providing services of vehicles on hire on regular basis for transportation of its personnel to different work sites for a period of three years for Cauvery Asset, Karaikal.

(3.) There were six different categories of vehicles, sought to be hired, classified as Group A, B, C, D, E and F. One of the bidders, namely Mr.Ayyappan, who was not successful, had filed a writ petition in W.P. No.31223 of 2017, to declare the contract awarded by the respondent herein with respect to Tender No.V16SC17013, opened on 03.07.2017, as null and void and obtained an order of status quo. The said writ petition came to be dismissed on 13.01.2020. Aggrieved by the same, intra court appeals have been preferred in W.A. Nos.246, 247 and 656 of 2020. The said writ appeals have also been dismissed on 11.09.2020. It had taken almost 1-1/2 years for the litigation to end. While so, the respondent had issued a fresh Notice Inviting Tender on 12.03.2019 vide No.V16XC190003 for hiring 77 Nos of light vehicles for a period of two years under three categories. On 17.06.2019 under various categories separate contracts have been entered into between the petitioners and the respondent, for each group of vehicles.