ORDER :

1. This case is taken up through video conferencing.

2. The present writ petition has been filed for quashing the office order contained in letter no.1536 dated 25.08.2020 (Annexure-10 to the writ petition) passed by the Managing Director, Jharkhand State Food & Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (hereinafter to be referred as ‘the Corporation’)-respondent no.2, whereby the petitioner has been blacklisted for a period of three years (till August, 2023) from participating in any tender for appointment of Transportation-cum-Handling contractors as well as other tenders to be invited by the respondent no.1 during the said period and the earnest money deposited by the petitioner has been forfeited.

3. During the course of argument, the learned counsel for the petitioner confines his prayer only to the extent of quashing the order of blacklisting dated 25.08.2020.

4. The factual background of the case as stated in the writ petition is that the respondents floated a tender on 16.04.2020 for appointment of Transportation & Handling Contractors by the Corporation in 24 districts of Jharkhand through the respondent no.2 for Transportation & Handling of Food grains/Paddy/Sugar/Pulses/Oil