LAGJIT LAL PURI Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The instant writ petition has been filed by the petitioners who claim themselves to be Category-III and Category-IV Contractors, registered with the Central Public Works Department, Government of India.

(2.) The grievance raised in the instant petition is with regard to issuance of NIT No. 03/2019-20/CE/NZ-III wherein comprehensive maintenance and up-gradation of Civil, Electrical and Horticulture works is to be given for residential and non-residential building of various Central Government departments. The Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) has given details of different projects which are required to be carried out by the persons who are eligible to participate in the said tender process.

(3.) Learned counsel for the petitioners submitted that since the petitioners are already registered/enlisted as Contractors in Class- III and Class-IV (Composite) category, the respondents have acted in arbitrary manner by giving comprehensive maintenance to a particular group of Contractors. Learned counsel submitted that in past the practice of department was to issue separate tenders for different buildings at different places and now for the Financial Years 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, the respondents in order to deprive the petitioners from participating in the tender process, have come out with such conditions ousting the claim of the present petitioners.