2026:CGHC:11584-DB MANPREET KAUR NAFR Digitally signed by MANPREET KAUR Date: 2026.03.12 10:49:41 +0530 HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPC No. 945 of 2026 M/s Ashok Kejriwal Sarangarh,distt. Raigarh Chhattisgarh Through- Subham Kejariwal, Partner, S/o Sunil Kumar Kejariwal, A/o 31 Years R/o Pratapganj, Sarangarh, Distt.Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, (C.G.)

... Petitioner(s)

versus

1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through- Secretary, Panchayat And Rural Development Department Mahanadi Bhawan, Naya Raipur, Raipur Chhattisgarh

2 - Rural Engineering Services Through- Chief Engineer, 1st Floor, Development Commissioner Office, Nawa Raipur, Atal Nagar, Naya Raipur, District Raipur (C.G.)

3 - Executive Engineer Rural Engineering Services, Division Raigarh, District- Raigarh, (C.G.)

4 - Sharda Costructions (S Constructions) Gaushala Road, Kharsiya, District Raigarh, (C.G.) 496661 ... Respondent(s)

For Petitioner(s) : Ms. Surya Kawalkar Dangi, Advocate For Respondent(s) : Mr. Prasun Kumar Bhaduri, Deputy A.G.

Hon'ble Shri Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice Hon'ble Shri Ravindra Kumar Agrawal, Judge Judgment on Board Per Ramesh Sinha , Chief Justice

11.03.2026

1 Heard Ms. Surya Kawalkar Dangi, learned counsel for the petitioner. Also heard Mr. Prasun Kumar Bhaduri, learned Deputy Advocate General for the State/respondents.

2 By this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the petitioner has prayed for the following relief(s):

“(i) That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased toquash and setting aside the impugned order dated 21.01.2026 (Annexure P/1), whereby the technical bid of the petitioner submitted pursuant NIT to No. 1910/Tender/Rural Services/2025-26 dated 23.12.2025 has been rejected;

(ii) That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased toquash and set aside the Letter of Acceptance dated 30.01.2026 (AnnexureP/2) and the consequential Work Order dated02.02.2026 (Annexure P/3) issued in favour of Respondent No.

4;

(iii) That, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased todirect the respondent authorities to declare the technical bid of the petitioner as responsive and eligible and to proceed further with the tender process strictly in accordance with law;

(iv) Or, In alternative, this Hon'ble Court may kindly be pleased to issue an appropriate writ, order or direction directing the respondent authorities to cancel the tender process, bearing NIT No. 1910/Tender/Rural Services/2025-26 dated 23.12.2025 (annexure P/2) as only one bidder has been found successful in the technical evaluation, in accordance with the guidelines issued by PWD (Annexure P/9).

(v) Any other relief, which this Hon'ble Court deems, fit in the facts and circumstances may also be granted in favour of the petitioner.”

3 The brief facts of the case are that respondent No.3 issued a Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) bearing No. 1910/Tender/Rural Services/2025-26 dated 23.12.2025 for construction of the District Panchayat Building at Sarangarh-Bilaigarh, Development Block Sarangarh, District Sarangarh, with an estimated cost of Rs.3,01,32,000/-. The NIT prescribed various conditions for participation in the tender process, including submission of a duly signed Pre-Contract Integrity Pact as per Clause 11 of the Special Conditions. The petitioner, being eligible, participated in the tender process and submitted all required documents including a duly signed Pre-Contract Integrity Pact in the prescribed format. However, upon opening of the technical bids, the petitioner’s bid was rejected through a system-generated email dated 16.01.2026 on the ground that the “name of work” was not mentioned in the Integrity Pact. Aggrieved by the rejection, the petitioner submitted a representation dated 17.01.2026 explaining that the requirement under Clause 11 was fully complied with and that the Integrity Pact had been uploaded specifically against the subject tender ID. Despite the said representation, respondent No.3 passed an order dated 21.01.2026 rejecting the petitioner’s technical bid on th