ORDER :

Ravi Cheemalapati, J.

The case of the petitioner is that, pursuant to the G.O.Rt.No.339 dated 30.06.2025, the Superintending Engineer (3^rd respondent) issued a Tender Document E-Procurement Notice Inviting Tender NIT No.19/2025-26, dated 09.01.2026 inviting bids for execution of "Repairs, Servicing and replacement of Mechanical and Electrical Components on four arms and embankments of Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage", and the eligibility criteria relates to experience in executing similar works, minimum financial turnover and Technical capacity.

2. In the said tender, it was mentioned that the tender schedule download closing date as 27-01-2026 at 4.30 pm, Bid Submission closing date as 27-01- 2026 at 4.30 pm; Technical Bid Opening Date as 27-01-2026 at 4.31 PM and Price Bid Opening date as 29-01-2026 at 11 am. Later, for the reasons best known to the Respondents 1 to 3, the tender was made invisible in the portal before the Bid Submission ending date, as such, the petitioner addressed an email on 27-01-2026 at 12-45 PM to the notified email ID informing the difficulty and requesting an extension of the bid submission date. Thereafter, the same tender document was again uploaded on 27.01.2026, changing the tender schedule download closing date to 10-02-2026 at 2.00 pm; Bid Submission closing date to 10-02-2026 at 4.00 pm; Technical Bid Opening Date to 10-02-2026 at 4.30 PM; and Price Bid Opening Date to 12-02-2026 at 11 am.

3. The petitioner along with its JV Partner M/s. Swapna Projects Private Limited, being fully qualified as per the original tender conditions, submitted its bid within the stipulated time i.e., on 04-02-2026.

4. While so, the Superintending Engineer-3^rd respondent, issued Corrigendum-1 on 04-02-2026 notifying the details of designated stacking yard for stacking of dismantled components and payment details; Corrigendum-2 on 09-02-2026 again extending the timelines prescribing the tender schedule download closing date as 20-02-2026 at 11.00 AM; Bid Submission closing date as 20-02-2026 at 4.00 pm; Technical Bid (PQ Stage) Opening Date as 20-02-2026 at 4.30 PM and Price Bid (Commercial Stage) Opening date as 23-02-2026 at 11 am; Corrigendum-3 on 14-02-2026, introducing new eligibility conditions, namely requirement of workshop within 500 km from the project site and local Class-I contractor (Electrical) registration in the State of Andhra Pradesh during the tender process.

5. It is the case of the petitioner that, there is no issue with regard to Corrigendum-1 & 2 but the Corrigendum-3 was issued with new eligibility conditions on 14.02.2026, after the petitioner submitted its bid on 04-02-2026. The petitioner sent an email to the designated email-ID on 16-02-2026 raising objection to the new eligibility conditions and requested for review. Despite the same, the technical bids were opened on 20-02-2026 wherein only the 5^th respondent was said to have qualified in view of the new conditions under Corrigendum-3 and the price bid was confirmed in favour of the 5^th respondent. It is the further case that, the said issue was discussed in the meeting held on 09-03-2026 before the State Level Technical committee and the contract agreement is yet to be entered with the 5^th respondent.

6. Challenging the new conditions prescribed in the Corrigendum-3 dated 14.02.2026, the petitioner filed W.P.No.7552 of 2026.

7. In the said writ petition, the 3^rd respondent filed counter affidavit and vacate stay petition and also filed a memo dated 01.05.2026 communicating the minutes of State Level Technical Committee dated 09.03.2026 which contains the reasons for rejecting the petitioner‟s technical bid. On noticing the said minutes, the petitioner filed W.P.No.13218 of 2026 questioning the same.

8. Inasmuch as both the writ petitions are connected and the parties are one and the same, they are heard together and disposed of under this common order.

9. Heard Sri Sricharan Telaprolu, learned counsel for the petitioner, Sri Somaraju Yelisett