Raisoni Ventures Private Limited And … vs The State Of Maharashtra Through The … on 24 July, 2025

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Bombay High Court

Raisoni Ventures Private Limited And … vs The State Of Maharashtra Through The … on 24 July, 2025

Author: Manish Pitale

Bench: Manish Pitale

2025:BHC-AUG:19363-DB

                                                     1                   WP / 13820 / 2023


                        IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                                    BENCH AT AURANGABAD

                                   WRIT PETITION NO. 13820 OF 2023

              1] Raisoni Ventures Private Limited
                 through its authorized representative,
                 Shri. Sagar Sunil Raisoni
                 Age : 32 years, Occ : Business,
                 Designation : Authorised Signatory,
                 Having office address at : Plot No. 5A1,
                 CTS No. 6 & 7, Lotus House,
                 Lane No. E, Koregaon Park,
                 Pune 411 001

              2] A.S. Enterprises,
                 Through its Proprietor,
                 Shri Ajay Dattatrya Londhe
                 Age : 42, Occu : Business,
                 Having office address at : Siddhivinayak
                 Apartment, Jaimala Nagar, Old Sangvi,
                 Pune 411 027

              3] Quad Group,
                 A registered Partnership Firm
                 Through its authorized Partner,
                 Shri Akshya Vinod Mehta
                 Age : 32, Occu. : Business,
                 Having office address at : Plot No. 386,
                 Market Yard, Pune 411 036                        .. Petitioners

                     Versus

              1] The State of Maharasthra,
                 Through the Principal Secretary,
                 Mantralaya, Mumbai - 400 032

              2] The Chief Engineer,
                 Public Works Region, Aurangabad

              3] The Superintending Engineer,
                 Public Works Circle (P.W.C.),
                 Aurangabad

              4] The Executive Engineer,
                 Public Works (West) Division,
                 Aurangabad                                       .. Respondents

                                                    ...
               Advocate for the petitioner : Mr. Kamlesh Ghumre h/f. Mr. Pramod F. Patni
                        AGP for the respondent - State : Ms. Neha B. Kamble
                                                    ...
                                   2                      WP / 13820 / 2023


              CORAM                         : MANISH PITALE &
                                              Y.G. KHOBRAGADE, JJ.

              JUDGMENT RESERVED ON          : 16 JULY 2025
              JUDGMENT PRONOUNCED ON        : 24 JULY 2025


JUDGMENT (PER - MANISH PITALE, J.) :

The petitioners herein have objected to the manner in

which the respondent – authorities of the Public Works Department

have proceeded with a ‘second call’, as per the scheme contemplated

under Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018, while dealing with a

situation where only a single bidder remains in the fray. According to

the petitioners, the facts and circumstances of the present case did not

demonstrate that only a single bidder remained in the fray and that in

any case, the specific stipulation in clause 4.3 of the Government

Resolution dated 27.09.2018 has not been followed to the hilt by the

said respondents. According to the petitioners, this smacks off

arbitrariness and hence the ‘second call’ needs to be cancelled and the

respondents ought to float a fresh tender in respect of the subject

development work.

2. As opposed to this, the respondents relied upon

Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018, particularly clause 4.4

thereof, to contend that all the necessary steps were taken in

consonance with the scheme contemplated in the said Government

Resolution. It is emphasized that the petitioners, in the earlier round
3 WP / 13820 / 2023

of litigation and in the present one also, have initiated litigation without

taking any steps to participate in the tender process and, therefore, as

per settled law, they ought not to be heard in the matter. It is submitted

that the interim order obtained by the petitioners has resulted in

development work i.e. construction of road being stalled for more than

1-1/2 year. In fact, the petition itself was circulated at the behest of the

respondent – authorities in the light of such development work being

stalled.

3. Before appreciating the rival contentions, it would be

necessary to briefly refer to the chronology of events.

4. The development work in question concerns Khultabad –

Mhaismal road (MDR-21) KM 0/00 to 11/500. The said work was

allotted to M/s ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd. It is a matter of record that

the said work could not be completed in the stipulated period of time

and an extension of one year was also granted. In this backdrop,

disputes arose between the said M/s ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd. and the

respondent – authorities, leading to initiation of arbitration proceedings

by the said entity.

5. In this situation, tender for balance work of KM 0/0 to 6/0,

was floated and it was allotted to one M/s GNI Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.

The respondents had to further issue a fresh tender on 09.08.2023, for

the balance length of the road from KM – 06/00 to 10/500. On
4 WP / 13820 / 2023

17.08.2023, a pre-bid meeting was held as the tender was floated in

terms of the scheme contemplated under Government Resolution

dated 27.09.2018. In the said meeting, petitioner nos. 2 and 3 raised

certain queries, to which the respondent – authority responded and an

addendum in the form of common set of deviations was issued and

incorporated in the tender document. This was done on 18.08.2023

and the tender document along with such common set of deviations

was put up on the website of the respondent – authority.

6. The petitioners filed writ petition no. 10886 of 2023,

alleging that terms of the tender document were violated, inasmuch as

the time period specified for the pre-bid meeting and raising queries,

was not adhered to by the respondents – authorities, resulting in lack of

opportunity to the petitioners and interested bidders for placing their

queries and suggestions before the respondents – authorities.

7. During the pendency of the said writ petition, the

respondents took a decision to cancel the said tender dated

09.08.2023 and accordingly, a statement was made before this Court.

By order dated 14.09.2023, this Court recorded statement of the

learned AGP representing the respondents that the tender had been

cancelled. It was recorded that since nothing survived in the said writ

petition, it stood disposed of.

5 WP / 13820 / 2023

8. On 09.10.2023, the respondents issued a further tender,

which according to them, was a ‘second call’ contemplated under

clause 4.3 of the Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018. It is this

document which is the subject matter of challenge in the present writ

petition at the behest of the petitioners on the ground that the basic

requirement of existence of only one bidder in the fray was not satisfied

in the facts and circumstances of the present case and, therefore, the

‘second call’ claimed by the respondents, cannot be sustained. It was

further submitted that even if the contention of the respondents with

regard to the existence of only one bidder in the fray was to be

accepted, the tender document issued subsequently for the same work

on 09.10.2023, by the respondents cannot qualify as a ‘second call’, for

the reason that this document incorporated certain changes that could

not have been brought about as per clause 4.3 of the Government

Resolution dated 27.09.2018. The respondents again failed to hold a

pre-bid meeting. Denying opportunity to the petitioners and interested

bidders of placing their queries and giving suggestions on record,

further violated the said Government Resolution as also the terms of

the said new tender dated 09.10.2023. It was submitted that the

respondents had acted with vengeance, only to keep the petitioners

away from participating in the tender process, thereby showing the

arbitrary and discriminatory nature of the actions of the respondents.

6 WP / 13820 / 2023

9. On 01.11.2023, this Court recorded the aforesaid

contentions raised on behalf of the petitioners and while issuing notice,

directed that the process as per the tender dated 09.10.2023, could go

on but it would not be finalized. As a consequence, the process could

not be finalized and the respondents have been pressing for hearing of

this petition in the light of the said development work being brought to a

halt.

10. Mr. Kamlesh Ghumre, learned counsel appearing for the

petitioners made submissions in consonance with the aforesaid

pleadings in the present writ petition, as also the grounds of challenge

raised therein. He emphasized that a proper reading of clause 4.3 of

the Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018, would show that the

tender floated on 03.10.2023 could never be called a ‘second call’. It

was a completely fresh tender process initiated by the respondents

after the initial tender process dated 09.08.2023 was cancelled. It was

submitted that this Court in its order dated 14.09.2023 clearly recorded

that the said tender had been cancelled and, therefore, the only option

available to the respondents, was to issue a fresh tender. The theory of

‘second call’ was floated by the respondents, only to deprive the

petitioners of their rightful claims.

11. It was further submitted that even if this was to be treated

as a ‘second call’, the respondents were duty bound under the scheme
7 WP / 13820 / 2023

as per the said Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018, to call a pre-

bid meeting. The tender document dated 09.10.2023 also

contemplated a pre-bid meeting and in similar circumstances

concerning other projects, the respondents – authorities themselves

even on second call, had called for a pre-bid meeting, thereby

demonstrating that in the present case, they were acting arbitrarily and

only with an intention to keep the petitioners out of the fray.

12. As regards the allegations made against petitioner no. 1

about connection with the afore-mentioned M/s. ATR Infra Project Pvt.

Ltd., it was submitted that petitioner no. 1 is a distinct legal entity and

the allegations are without any substance. It was submitted that in any

case, petitioner nos. 2 and 3 are independent entities and there is no

question of any malice or revengeful attitude on their part to somehow

block the development project of construction of the said road. It was

further submitted that the tender document dated 09.10.2023 brought

about substantial changes as compared to the earlier tender document

dated 09.08.2023 and in that light, it could not be said to be a ‘second

call’ under any circumstances.

13. Learned counsel for the petitioners relied upon judgments

of the Supreme Court in the cases of i) Dutta Associates Pvt. Ltd. V.

Indo Merchantiles Pvt. Ltd. and others; (1997) 1 Supreme Court

Cases 53, ii) W.B. State Electricity Board V. Patel Engineering Co.

8 WP / 13820 / 2023

Ltd. and others; (2001) 2 Supreme Court Cases 451 and the

judgment of this Court in the case of Watergrace Products Vs.

Nashik Municipal Corporation and others; 2025 SCC OnLine Bom

330.

14. On the other hand, Ms. Neha Kamble, learned AGP

submitted that the whole intention of the petitioners in filing the present

petition, is to somehow stall the development project. They have not

shown genuine interest in bidding for the said work, either in the first

round, when the tender was floated on 09.08.2023, or during the

second call initiated on 09.10.2023. It was submitted that since a pre-

bid meeting conducted in the context of tender document dated

09.08.2023, resulted in the common set of deviations being

incorporated in the tender, the insistence on pre-bid meeting even on

second call, on the part of the petitioners, is wholly unjustified. It was

emphasized that in the process undertaken pursuant to the tender

floated on 09.08.2023, only two entities remained in the fray and since

one of them stood disqualified, it was a clear case of a single bidder

covered under clause 4.3 of the Government Resolution dated

27.09.2018. It was submitted that thereafter the respondents issued the

second call. The petitioners never showed any interest in bidding in

pursuance of the second call and instead, rushed to this Court, raising

frivolous grounds, to somehow jeopardize the aforesaid project.

9 WP / 13820 / 2023

15. It was submitted that the alleged changes brought about in

the second call dated 09.10.2023, are absolutely minor and no case is

made out by the petitioners, to contend that the tender floated on

09.10.2023, is not a ‘second call’ and that it is a fresh tender process.

16. It was further submitted that the specific statement made in

the reply filed on behalf of the respondents, to the effect that petitioner

no. 1 is bent upon de1railing the entire project because M/s ATR Infra

Project Pvt. Ltd. entered into a dispute with the respondents, has not

been answered. One of the partners of M/s ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd.

is the father of the proprietor of petitioner no. 1. In fact, the said

M/s. ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd. Sub-contracted the work to an entity

called Raisoni Bothra Buildcon LLP of which the proprietor of the

petitioner no. 1, is one of the partners. It is because of the said

relationship that the petitioner no. 1 has repeatedly taken steps to

derail award of the work for the remaining portion of the road, without

even participating in the tender process initiated by the respondents. It

was submitted that therefore, this petition filed by the petitioners is

malicious and vengeful.

17. On the point of dis-entitlement of the parties not

participating in the tender process from raising objections concerning

the same, reliance was placed on judgments of this Court in the cases

of i) A.M. Yusuf Vs. Mumbai Municipal Corporation and others;

10 WP / 13820 / 2023

2008 SCC OnLine Bom 1186, ii) Gypsum Structural India Pvt. Ltd.

V. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and others; 2023 SCC

OnLine Bom 683 and judgment of the Supreme Court in the case of

iii) National Highways Authority of India Vs. Gwalior-Jhansi

Expressway Limited; (2018) 8 Supreme Court Cases 243. On the

question of scope of entertaining the writ petition in tender and

contractual matters, reliance was placed on the judgment of the

Supreme Court in Tata Motors Ltd. Vs. Brihan Mumbai Electric

Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) and others; (2023) 19

SCC 1.

18. This Court has considered the rival submissions. The

Supreme Court of India has considered the scope of jurisdiction of the

writ court while considering challenges to a tender process and in

contractual matters, right from the judgments in the cases of Tata

Cellular V. Union of India (1994) 6 SCC 651 and Air India Ltd. V.

Cochin International Airport Ltd.; (2000) 2 SCC 617. It has been

emphasized that the writ Court would indeed examine the process, but

it would not enter into the merits of the decision taken by the authority.

It has been emphasized that while exercising the power of judicial

review in contractual and commercial matters, the writ Court would be

loathe to interfere unless a clear-cut case of arbitrariness or mala fides

or bias or irrationality is made out. In the said judgments, it has been
11 WP / 13820 / 2023

emphasized that the Courts must give fair play in the joints to the

Government and public sector undertakings in matters of contract. The

said position is reiterated in the aforesaid judgment of the Supreme

Court in the case of Tata Motors V. Brihan Mumbai Electric Supply

and Transport Undertaking (BEST) and others (supra). While

considering the rival submissions, the said position of law has to be

kept in mind.

19. The present petition is the second round initiated by these

very petitioners in the context of the afore-said road construction work

pertaining to the balance length from KM 6/00 to 10/500. There is no

dispute about the fact that the said tender for incomplete work had to

be issued because the entire work of the Khultabad – Mhaismal road

awarded to M/s. ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd. could not be completed.

Since the dispute between the said entity and the respondents is

pending in arbitration proceedings, this Court refrains from making any

comments on the reasons why the entire work could not be completed.

Nonetheless, it is because of the fact that the work could not be

completed that initial part of the balance work was allotted to the said

M/s. GNI Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd. upon tender process being

undertaken. Thereafter, the present tender process had to be

undertaken by floating the tender on 09.08.2023, for the afore-

mentioned further balance incomplete work.

12 WP / 13820 / 2023

20. It is a matter of record that the petitioners participated in

the pre-bid meeting concerning the tender floated on 09.08.2023. They

raised certain queries and after taking into account the said queries,

certain changes / modifications were brought about in the tender

document incorporated as common set of deviations in the form of an

addendum. This was incorporated in the tender itself and published on

the website of the respondents. Thus, the parties intending to

participate in the process, were made aware about the common set of

deviations.

21. It is at this stage that earlier writ petition no. 10886 of 2023

was filed by the petitioners, raising various grounds and particularly

emphasizing upon the alleged lack of proper opportunity in the pre-bid

meeting, violation of conditions of the tender document itself as also

violation of the Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018.

22. During the pendency of the said writ petition, the

respondents took a decision to cancel the said tender and, accordingly,

the writ petition came to be disposed of on 14.09.2023, after recording

such statement made on behalf of the respondents. It was thereafter

that the tender dated 09.10.2023 came to be issued, which according

to the respondents, was a ‘second call’, as per clause 4.3 of the

Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018, while the petitioners claim

that it was a completely new tender process in the light of the
13 WP / 13820 / 2023

statement made before this Court, which resulted in disposal of writ

petition no. 10886 of 2023.

23. In order to examine as to whether the said tender dated

09.10.2023, can be treated as a ‘second call’ or whether it was an

entirely fresh tender process, the Government Resolution dated

27.09.2018, particularly clause 4.3 thereof will have to be analyzed.

24. Government Resolution dated 27.09.2018 was issued by

the respondent – State, in order to address certain situations that were

occurring during the process of such tenders being floated by the

respondents. The intention behind issuing the Government Resolution

dated 27.09.2018 was to introduce transparency and to address the

difficulties faced while awarding such contracts, particularly when

single a bidder remains in the fray. Clause 4.3 of the Government

Resolution dated 27.09.2018 specifically address such a contingency.

It provides that when only one single bidder (the Government

Resolution uses the expression single tender) remains in the fray, steps

are required to be taken, as incorporated in the aforesaid clause. It is

specifically provided that when two bidders remain in the fray, one of

whom stands disqualified, it shall be treated as a situation of single

tender / bidder.

25. The material placed before this Court sufficiently

demonstrates that in pursuance of the tender floated on 09.08.2023,
14 WP / 13820 / 2023

only two entities remained in the fray, one of whom stood disqualified.

Therefore, it is found that a situation of a single bidder arose and the

respondents were mandated to apply clause 4.3 of the Government

Resolution dated 27.09.2018, to the present case. We do not find any

substance in the contention raised on behalf of the respondents that

this was not a situation of a single bidder.

26. It has been contended on behalf of the petitioners that

even if this was a case of single bidder, in the light of the statement

made before this Court when writ petition no. 10886 of 2023 was

disposed of, the entire tender process stood cancelled and the

subsequent tender floated on 09.10.2023, was nothing but a fresh

tender which could not be christened as a ‘second call’. We are of the

opinion that the said contention will have to be considered on the

touchstone of the requirements of clause 4.3 of the aforesaid

Government Resolution and the chronology of events that emerges

from the material placed on record.

27. It is relevant to note that clause 4.3 of the said

Government Resolution stipulates that when a single bidder remains in

the fray, it shall be cancelled and new bids are to be invited without

making any changes in the tender already floated. If there are no

changes made, then the fresh tender call would be treated as a

‘second call’. It is further stipulated that after the second call, if only
15 WP / 13820 / 2023

one tender / bidder remains in the fray, then such bid should be opened

as per the established procedure and that there would not be any

requirement for again calling for fresh tender.

28. In the present case, it is to be noted that the tender

process was first initiated on 09.08.2023; the petitioners participated in

the pre-bid meeting and raised certain queries. This resulted in the

respondents considering such queries and suggestions, further

incorporating some of them in the form of an addendum to the tender,

to be treated as a common set of deviations under Government

Resolution dated 27.09.2018. The tender document incorporating the

common set of deviations was published on the website and it was

expected that interested bidders, including the petitioners would offer

their bids and the process would go ahead. Instead, writ petition

no. 10886 of 2023 was filed, which was eventually disposed of on

14.09.2023, recording the statement on behalf of the respondents that

the tender had been cancelled.

29. We find that at this stage, it cannot be disputed that only

one single tender / bidder remained in the fray and a situation was

created, whereby clause 4.3 had to be applied by the respondents.

The tender floated on 09.10.2023, therefore, qualified as a ‘second

call’. Whatever changes had to be incorporated, were included in the
16 WP / 13820 / 2023

common set of deviations and in that sense, the concerns of the

petitioners were also taken care of.

30. We also do not find any substance in the contention raised

on behalf of the petitioners that substantial changes were made in the

tender issued on 09.10.2023, as compared to the original tender after

incorporation of the common set of deviation. Some minor changes,

including changing the name of the project could not be said to create

a situation where clause 4.3 of the Government Resolution dated

27.09.2018, would not apply.

31. Thus, we find that the second call invited fresh bids on the

basis of the original tender incorporating the common set of deviations,

which took care of the queries and suggestions of the petitioners in the

pre-bid meeting concerning the tender dated 09.08.2023. Therefore,

insistence of the petitioners that there ought to have been another pre-

bid meeting in which they desired to participate, appears to be an

attempt on the part of the petitioners to delay / derail the entire tender

process. It is relevant to note that neither in the first round after the

tender document incorporated the common set of deviations did the

petitioners offer bids to participate in the tender process, nor did they

offer any bids or participate in the tender process in pursuance of the

second call / tender floated on 09.10.2023.

17 WP / 13820 / 2023

32. This demonstrates that the petitioners have been sitting on

the fence and at every stage, they have made efforts to either

challenge the tender process or to create doubts about its veracity by

alleging that the scheme contemplated under the Government

Resolution dated 27.09.2018, had been violated. This Court fails to

understand, as to what prevented the petitioners from offering their bids

immediately upon the second call dated 09.10.2023 being floated by

the respondents, particularly when their queries, concerns and

suggestions had been incorporated in the form of common set of

deviations in the original tender document itself by the respondents.

This gives an impression that the petitioners were and are interested

only in derailing the tender process and in that light, jettisoning the

entire remaining work of the Khultabad – Mhaismal road. It is

significant to note that till date, the petitioners have not participated in

the tender process at all.

33. It is in this context that the judgments relied upon by the

respondents become relevant. In the case of A.M. Yusuf (supra), a

Division Bench of this Court, in a similar situation, noted that the

petitioner therein took no steps to deposit the amount as per the notice

inviting tender. No efforts were taken to participate in the tender and,

therefore, the very locus of such a petitioner came under a cloud of

suspicion. It was held that such a petitioner, having opted not to
18 WP / 13820 / 2023

participate in the tender process, could hardly be said to have locus to

challenge the said process. In the case of Gypsum Structural India

Pvt. Ltd. (supra), another Division Bench of this Court recorded that

the petitioners therein even after participating in the pre-bid meeting,

chose to stay away from the tender process and, therefore, such a

petitioner had to be treated as a stranger. The Supreme Court in the

case of National Highways V. Gwalior (supra) also held that the

private party therein having failed to participate in the tender process,

cannot be heard to contend that it had acquired any right whatsoever.

34. Applying the said position of law to the facts and

circumstances of the present case, we find that the petitioners did not

take any steps to participate in the tender process or to offer their bids.

Even if the scheme contemplated under the Government Resolution

dated 27.09.2018 and the tender notices is to be appreciated, the

petitioners cannot be permitted to be fence sitters, showing no real

intention to participate in the tender process and yet picking holes in

the actions of the respondents.

35. In the present case, when certain queries were made and

suggestions were given by the petitioners, the respondents did issue

an addendum and incorporated the common set of deviations in the

tender document itself, yet, the petitioners made no effort to participate

in the tender process. Instead, they have repeatedly challenged the
19 WP / 13820 / 2023

same, resulting in a situation where development work of construction

of road has been stalled for about 2 years. Not a farthing has been

deposited for participating in the tender process and yet, the petitioners

have succeeded in delaying the award of contract for such

development work for almost two years.

36. This Court fails to understand what prejudice the

petitioners suffered either in the first process, particularly when

common set of deviations at their behest were incorporated in the

tender document or when the second call was issued by the

respondents. It is to be noted that there is a dire need of a proper road

between Khultabad and Mhaismal considering the large number of

tourists who visit Mhaismal.

37. The respondents have specifically stated in their reply

affidavit about how the petitioner no. 1, can be said to be acting mala

fide and with a revengeful attitude. It is specifically stated that M/s.

ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd., is having a running feud with the

respondents with regard to the entire work of Khultabad – Mhaismal

road allotted to it, in the form of pending arbitration proceedings. One

of the partners of M/s ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd. is the father of the

proprietor of petitioner no. 1. It is also a matter of record that the

proprietor of petitioner no. 1 is also a partner of M/s. Raisoni Bothra

Buildcon LLP, which was given a sub-contract by M/s. ATR Infra Project
20 WP / 13820 / 2023

Pvt. Ltd. for the work of Khultabad – Mhaismal road. This shows the

close relationship between the parties, although in law they may be

independent legal entities. The said allegations have not been

specifically denied in the rejoinder affidavit filed on behalf of the

petitioners and such a situation gives credence to the specific

contention raised on behalf of the respondents that the petitioner no.1

is hellbent upon derailing the entire process of award of work of

remaining portion of the aforesaid road, in the backdrop of the dispute

between M/s ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd. and the respondents.

38. It is a matter of record that petitioner nos. 2 and 3 had

raised queries in the first round. These queries had led to issuance of

the addendum and the common set of deviations incorporated in the

tender document itself. Therefore, we do not find any reason for the

petitioners to raise a hue and cry in respect of the second call when

their concerns had been already addressed in the aforesaid manner.

39. It is a matter of record that the petitioners did not show any

genuine interest in participating in the tender process even in the

second call, as a consequence of which only one single bidder has

remained in the fray. In such a situation, the respondents can be said

to be justified in applying clause 4.3 of the Government Resolution

dated 27.09.2018, to proceed to award the work to the said remaining

single bidder. It cannot be said that the respondents have not complied
21 WP / 13820 / 2023

scrupulously with the requirements of the Government Resolution

dated 27.09.2018. Therefore, reliance placed on behalf of petitioners

on judgment of Supreme Court in the case of W.B. State Electricity

Board V. Patel Engineering Co. Ltd. and others (supra), cannot of

any assistance to them.

40. We are also not in agreement with the petitioners that

major changes were made in the tender during the process of second

call, thereby violating clause 4.3 of the aforesaid Government

Resolution. The said contention has been raised only with a view to

further delay / derail the process of award of the tender and the work of

Khultabad – Mhaismal road, which in the first place ought to have been

completed by M/s ATR Infra Project Pvt. Ltd. In this context, the

petitioners are not justified in placing reliance upon judgment of Dutta

Associates Pvt. Ltd. (supra).

41. The judgment of the Division Bench of this Court in the

case of Vast Media Network Pvt. Ltd. Vs. State of Maharashtra and

others (writ petition (L) no. 36983 of 2024 – dated 19 June 2025),

also cannot take the case of the petitioners any further, for the reason

that the said judgment concerned interpretation of specific words used

in the tender document. In the present case, this Court is concerned

with the interpretation of clause 4.3 of the Government Resolution

dated 27.09.2018.

22 WP / 13820 / 2023

42. Considering the language of the said clause and applying

the same to the facts and circumstances of the present case, we are

inclined to hold in favour of the respondents. For a long period of time,

the aforesaid development work i.e. construction of the remaining

portion of the Khultabad – Mhaismal road has been held-up due to the

interim order passed in the writ petition.

43. Since, we do not find any substance in the contentions

raised on behalf of the petitioners, the petition deserves to be

dismissed and interim order ought to be vacated at the earliest. In view

of the above, the writ petition is dismissed.

44. Interim order is vacated and pending applications, if any,

also stand disposed of.

       [ Y.G. KHOBRAGADE ]                      [ MANISH PITALE ]
               JUDGE                                 JUDGE

arp/
 

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