CAV ORDER

The first respondent has issued a notification dated 13.08.2025 [Tender Notification] inviting offers for the supply of 7200 kgs of sandalwood oil, and the last date for submission of the bids is 22.08.2025. The first respondent’s case¹ is that the selection process would be conducted through the Tender-cum-Reverse Auction Mechanism. The petitioner, the second and third respondents have submitted samples on 20.08.2025 to 21.08.2025. A Technical Committee has qualified the petitioner, the second and third respondents. The financial bids are opened on 28.08.2025. The first respondent, because there were three qualified bidders in the petitioner and second and third respondents, has initiated an Electronic Reverse Auction [the Reverse Auction] as contemplated under Rule 25-A of the 1 The first respondent has produced the details of the Tender Management from the Karnataka Public Procurement Portal [Annexure R3] to contend that it was made known that the selection would be through Tender-cum-Reverse Auction mechanism.

Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Rules, 2000 [for short, the KTPP Rules].

2. The petitioner and the afore respondents have participated even in the Rev