SHOBHANA TRANSPORT COMPANY Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Rule. Rule is made returnable forthwith. By consent of parties, Petition is heard finally.

(2.) In this petition, filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, petitioner sets up a challenge to the letter dated September 30, 2021 issued by the Desk Officer, Food and Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection Department, Maharashtra holding the petitioner's bid ineligible. Petitioner seeks the direction for opening its financial bid for awarding contract for transport of food grains and other essential items to Fair Price Shops in Nanded district.

(3.) Brief facts of the case are that petitioner is a partnership firm engaged in the business inter alia of transportation of food grains. Petitioner was awarded a contract for transportation of food grains in respect of Nanded district during January 2007 to September 2009 and the tenure of the contract was extended on same terms and conditions up to 15/3/2018. It is petitioner's case that the contract involved single phase transportation of food grains from base depots of Food Corporation of India (FCI) to the circle level depots identified for Nanded district. That contract did involve transportation of foodgrains to Fair Price Shops (FPS) and the concerned FPSs used to pick up and transport their own supplies from the circle level depots to their respective shops.