IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT PATNA
P.B. BAJANTHRI, ARUN KUMAR JHA, JJ.
NHPC through its CMD – Appellant
Versus
Ramakant Singh S/o Late Ram Khelawan Singh – Respondent
Letters Patent Appeal No. 1854 of 2012, Civil Writ Jurisdiction Case No. 783 of 2011
Decided On : 17-03-2023
Constitution of India-Article 226-Government Contract-Termination of contract and invocation of Bank Guarantee-There are certain disputed issues relating to execution of contract between parties which involved appreciation of disputed facts regarding work done, breach of contract, payment for work, payment for work executed and claim and counter claim of parties against each other-It is nobody's case that High Court or Supreme Court have got unfettered jurisdiction to entertain a petition against any arbitrary and unlawful action on part of public authority-This extraordinary constitutional power has been vested in the higher Courts to strike down any injustice and if said act has been done in an arbitrary manner then even in the matter of contract an aggrieved party can approach court by filing a writ under Article 226 of Constitution and Court depending on the facts of case is empowered to grant relief-Termination of contract and subsequent action of parties culminating in matter being decided by Standing Empowered Committee cannot be said to be something which requires interference by this Court under Article 226 of Constitution and justify use of extraordinary power since petitioner/respondent herein has utterly failed to point out any illegality of such nature that could justify interference by this Court by entertaining writ petition-Recourse to Civil Court or commercial Court is always open to writ petitioner/respondent herein-Order of Single Judge set aside. (Paras 22, 24, 25, 26, 27 and 30)
JUDGMENT :
ARUN KUMAR JHA, J.
1. Heard learned counsel for the appellants and learned counsel for the respondent.
2. The present L.P.A. is directed against the order dated 18.05.2012 passed in CWJC No. 783 of 2011 by the learned Single Judge of this Court whereby and whereunder the civil writ petition filed by the petitioner/respondent herein has been allowed with certain observations and directions.
3. The writ petitioner/respondent herein filed the writ petition claiming following reliefs:
(ii) For appropriate declarations that (a) the rescinding of the agreement on the basis of admitted fact is on account of employer’s convenience and not on account of fundamental breach of the contractor, (b) in the absence of finalization of rate, final determination of payable amount including variation in quantity, extra item, the action of rescinding and consequential decision of forfeiture of security and bank guarantee is wholly without jurisdiction.
(iii) For a direction to the respondents to release the security deposit, bank guarantee forthwith and further direction to the respondents to work out and finalize the rate of extra item, prime coat and variation in quantity and make payment.
(iv) For a direction to the respondents to refrain from acting upon the decision of the Standing Empowered Committee so far as realization of liquidated damage in terms of contract data is concerned.
(v) For any other relief of consequential reliefs to which the petitioner may be found entitled to in the facts and circumstances of this case.”
4. The facts of the case, as it appears from the record, may be summarized as follows:
ABL International Ltd. and Another vs. Export Credit Guarantee Corporation of India Ltd. and Others
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. vs. Nilofer Siddiqui and Others
J.G. Engineers Pvt. Ltd. vs. Union of India and Another
Lamba Industries vs. Union of India and Others
Ram Barai Singh and Company vs. State of Bihar and Others
Shalini Shyam Shetty and Another vs. Rajendra Shankar Patil
Suresh Kumar Wadhwa vs. State of Madhya Pradesh
Union of India and Others vs. Puna Hinda
Union of India and Others vs. Tantia Construction Pvt. Ltd. (2011) 5 SCC 697
A writ petition is not the appropriate remedy for disputes relating to contractual obligations. Such disputes should be resolved through civil suits.
The court affirmed that contractual obligations must be honored when supported by competent authority approvals and committee recommendations, reinforcing the binding nature of such decisions.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that in contractual matters, the court may not entertain a writ petition if there is a public law element, and the parties should resort to the con....
The court established that termination of a contract must comply with natural justice principles, requiring adequate reasoning and opportunity for the affected party to respond.
Termination of a contract without issuing a show-cause notice violates the principles of natural justice. Force majeure claims must be decided before taking any action based on non-compliance with th....
Writ jurisdiction cannot be used solely for granting interim relief. Disputed factual matters are not within the purview of writ jurisdiction.
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