CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has extended till July 10 the operation of the status quo ordered earlier, in the matter of calling for tenders for setting up an 150-MLD sea water desalination plant in Nemmeli on the East Coast Road. Justice T Raja granted the extension while passing interim orders on a plea by Singh Electricals and Constructions seeking to quash tender notification issued by Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewage Board in 2016.
The tender was floated inviting bids for designing, building, operation and maintenance of the plant.
According to the petitioner, as soon as the tender was floated, they had approached authorities requesting some more time to submit bids, as the last date for submission was fixed on or before January 19, 2017 in view of the change of the tax regime from the Central Sales Tax Act to the Goods and Services Act.
Declining the request, CMWSSB proceeded further with the tender and when the bids were opened, it was found that all five companies, which took part, were ineligible. Instead of proceeding for fresh bidding, they wrongly proceeded to select one ineligible candidate, which is wholly bad in law and unsustainable, vividly showing the arbitrary exercise of power. This apart, they have not even finalised any tender contrary to the provisions of the TN Transparency in Tender Rules, 2000, the petitioner said.