Heard Ms.M.J.Prabhavathy, learned counsel for the petitioner; Mr.P.Srinivas, learned Standing Counsel for respondents 1 and 2; and Mr.M.Santhana Kumar, learned counsel for respondent 3.

2. With the consent of the learned counsel for the parties, the Writ Petition is taken up for final disposal.

3. The petitioner, stating to be a registered contractor of the first respondent Municipality, has sought for issuance of a writ of mandamus, to direct the first and second respondents to accept his financial bid, for providing BT surface from Kottai Anna Statue to NH By-pass Link Road towards Forest Road in Ward Nos.1 and 2.

4. The facts of the case are, that the first respondent invited tenders for the abovesaid work, vide notice, dated 19.05.2015. The value of the contract was Rs.42.00 lakhs. The petitioner participated in the tender process and submitted his bid on 21.05.2015 at 03.00 p.m. The said tenders were to be opened on the same day at 03.30 p.m; however, citing technical snag, bids remained unopened on that day. The petitioner would further state that he came to know that two bids were manually submitted, which, according to him, is illegal, since the value of the contract is