HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court has sought the response of the State government to a petition challenging the process for the supply and installation of 59,000 sets of dining furniture, including tables and benches, intended for specific government and local body schools as part of the Mana Ooru - Mana Badi / Mana Basti-Mana Badi programme.
Hearing a petition filed by Chintamani Paraswanth Enterprises, a private company, alleging irregularities in the handling of the tender process, the court issued notices to the State government, Telangana State Education and Welfare Infrastructure Development Corporation, the Commissionerate of Tenders, and the Prisons department.
The petitioner alleged that government officials bypassed the proper tender procedures by awarding the purchase order worth Rs 291 crore to the Prisons department.
According to the petition, the tender committee initially declared Chintamani Paraswanth Enterprises and its Joint Venture Consortium as the eligible bidder on February 14, 2023. However, the company was only notified as L-1 and subsequently encountered unexpected setbacks.
Along with the payment of Rs 3 lakh in tender processing costs, the firm also submitted a bank guarantee worth Rs 2,95,00,000 when it was classified as L-1. To further support its case, the petitioner pointed out that the tender submitted by the consortium was abruptly terminated on March 29, 2023, without any explanation.
However, the Prisons department received a purchase order on April 17, 2023, for the delivery of dining room equipment, specifically dining tables and benches for eight people, at a cost of Rs 51,991 per set.
The petitioner firm alleged that the Prisons department was not a participant in the tender process and that the authorities provided the department with a 30% advance payment without ensuring its technical eligibility.
Hearing the petitioner’s contention, the High Court issued notices and adjourned the matter to June 6.