JUST UNIVERSAL PVT. LTD. Vs. STATE OF MAHARASHTRA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These two petitions raise similar questions of fact and law, and are therefore being disposed of by this common judgment.

(2.) In both petitions, the challenge is directed against the communication/technical evaluation report dtd. 13/8/2024, pursuant to which the petitioners were disqualified and deemed technically ineligible in relation to the Request for Proposal dtd. 18/7/2024, bearing RFP No. ASHiVi_2024/CR-17/NAPU22, for the supply of food kits ("Anandacha Shidha") for the Gauri-Ganpati Festival during the financial year 2024-2025.

(3.) The facts in Writ Petition No.11468 of 2024 are as follows: Respondent No. 1 issued a Request for Proposal dtd. 18/7/2024 for supply of food kits ("Anandacha Shidha") for the Gauri-Ganpati Festival during the financial year 2024- 2025 under the terms and conditions set forth therein. The tender document required supply of packages containing sugar, chana dal, rawa, and soybean oil, along with a polypropylene bag, to various Taluka godowns in the Districts of Maharashtra State. The Earnest Money Deposit (EMD) was set at Rs.2.00 crore. A pre-bid meeting was held on 22/7/2024. The tender document, issued on 18/7/2024, initially set the deadline for bid submission as 25/7/2024, which was subsequently extended to 26/7/2024. The technical bids were scheduled to be opened on 26/7/2024.