D.K.JAIN, J.

1. Rule DB.

2. Having regard to the urgency of the matter, with the consent of learned counsel for the parties, it is taken up for final disposal at this stage itself.

3. Challenge in this writ petition, under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, is to the legality and propriety of the decision of Punjab State Electricity Board, respondent No. 1 herein, (hereinafter referred to as the Board ), to award the tender of supply of 148 transformers of 220 KV CTs of various ratios to respondent No. 3. The Chief Engineer, Design Directorate, Patiala is impleaded as respondent No. 2.

4. The factual matrix, on which the foundation of this judicial action is laid, is as follows :

Some time around early February, 2005, the Board, invited tenders for supply of the aforementioned transformers of four different types. The last date for submission of the tenders was 11-3-2005 and the bids received were to be opened on the same day at 11.30 a.m. In the tender notice, it was, inter alia, mentioned that tender specifications will not be issued to the firms, with whom business dealings have been suspended or blacklisted and debarred firms; no specification/tender document sha