Mandatory tender conditions must be strictly complied with, and the state cannot relax essential requirements for assessing the character of bidders.

( 1 ) BASHISHTHA Narain Pandey, has filed the present writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking a writ, order or direction in the nature of Certiorari quashing the impugned auction proceedings dated 30-1-2002 and all consequential proceedings for the bridge known as prabhu Dayal Vidyarthi Van Ganga Bridge, siddharth Nagar. He further seeks a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus commanding the respondents to grant the right in favour of the petitioner to collect toll on the aforementioned bridge and/or in the alternative commanding the respondent No. 2 i. e. the Executive Engineering Provincial Khand, P. W. D. , Siddarth Nagar, to reauction the said bridge after following the procedure established by law and Rules 1980.

( 2 ) BRIEFLY stated the facts giving rise to the present petition are as follows : an auction notice has been published by the Executive Engineer, Provincial Khand, P. W. D. , Siddharth Nagar, respondent No. 2, in the daily newspaper dainik Jagran dated 24-12-2001 for settlement of the right to collect the toll on the bridge Farenda Naugarth-Barhni, Shravasti Road 63 Kms. known as Prabhu Dayal Vidyarthi Van Ganga Bridge, Siddharth Nagar. The terms and conditions have been mentioned in the auction notice. In the conditions it is stipulated that the tenderer will have to enclose along with the tender form a solvency certificate and character certificate issued by the District Magistrate of his home district, which should not be less than the price offered by him and should not be more than three months old. The terms and conditions also provide that Part-II of the tender shall be opened first and if all the documents which have been filed and security money deposited are in order, only then Part I of the tender shall be opened and the tenderer shall be permitted to take part in the auction. The Condition Nos. 3, 5 and 14 are reproduced below :"3. Boli bolne walo ko apne grih janpad ke ziladkhikari dwara pradatt uttam charitra sambandhi praman-Patra jo nilami tithi se teen mah purva karna ho nirdharit prarup me prastut karna hoga. Sath hi ziladhikari athwa unke adhikrit adhikari se apne teen photo va hasthakshr ke teen namune [hindi, urdu athawa english] ko sansthapit karke prathna-patra ke saath sanlagna karna hoga. 5. Pratyek boli bolne wale ko apane grih janpad ke ziladhikari se apni aarthik haisiyat ka praman-patra jo pratyek nadi setu ke liye nirdharit dhanrahsi se kum ki na ho praptra ker sampati ke purna vivarn ke sath jama karna hoga. Vivaran achal sampatti ka hona chahiye. Nilami ki tithi se teen mah purva ka haisiyat praman patra manya nahi hoga. Pratyek boili bolne wala swayam dwara prastut haisiyat praman patra me darshit dhanrashi se adhik ki prativarsh ko boli nahi bol sakta hai. Yadi prastut haisiyat praman patra me ankit dhanrashi se adhik ki prati varsh ki boli bolna chahta hai to unhe atirikta dhanrashi ke liye haisiyat praman patra prastut karna hoga athwa nagad dhanrashi ke liye haisiyat praman patra prastut karna hoga athva nagad dhanrashi jama karna hoga. Jo boli data atirikta dhanrashi ka haisiyat praman patra athwa nagad dhanrashi nahi de sakenge, yah prastut praman patra ki dhanrashi se adhik boli bolne ke liye adhikrit nahi honge. 14. Pratham bhag ka lifafa nilami ke samay usi dasha me khola jayega jabki dwitiya bhag me diye gaye sabhi abilekh evam pratibhuti ki dhanrashi theek payee gayee ho tatha adhishashi abhiyanta dwara unki nilami me bhag lene ke liye patra ghoshit kiye gaye vyakti/firm ki suchi me sammilit kiya gaya ho. Sambandhit vyakti/firm ki pratham part me ankit boli ko vidsit me pratham chakra ki boli mankar nilami ki jayegi. Yadi koi vyakti/firm nilami me upasthit nahi hota had to aisi dasha me pratham part me ankit boli uski uchchattam boli mani jayegi jo use manya hogi. "

( 3 ) THE petitioner as also the respondent No. 3 Abdul Rehman and respondent No. 4 Anup Kumar Pandey submitted their tenders. According to the p