Judgment

MOHAN. J

(1) LEAVE granted,

(2) ALL these appeals can be dealt with under a common judgment since one and same issue requires to be decided. The brief facts are as under.

(3) THE Department of Telecommunications, government of India, invited tenders from Indian Companies with a view to license the operation of "Cellular Mobile Telephone Service" in four metropolitan cities of India, namely, Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta and Madras. Cellular mobile telephone means a telecommunication system which allows two-ways telecommunication between a mobile or stationary telephone to another mobile or stationary unit at a location. It may be within or outside the city including subscriber-cum-diailing and international SUBSCRIBER-cum-dialling calls. The last date for submission of tender was 31/3/1992. The tender process was in two stages. First stage involved technical evaluation and the second involved financial evaluation. Those who were short-listed at the first stage were invited for the second stage.

(4) THIRTY bidders participated initially at the first stage. The first Tender Evaluation Committee was constituted consisting of senior officers