Madras HC clears deck on procuring footwear for school students

Dismissing a batch of writ petitions moved by private footwear manufacturers, the Madras High Court has given the State government the green signal to go ahead with the tender procedures to procure sandals and shoes for government school students.

“The petitioners shall approach the appellant authorities against the State’s decision as per Section 10 of the Tamil Nadu Transparency in Tenders Act, 1998. The State will proceed with the tenders and conclude the same in accordance with law and all applicable tender conditions,” ruled Justice Anita Sumanth.

The petitioners had sought a direction to quash an amended corrigendum to the tender floated by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation for the supply and delivery of Velcro sandals for school children on an annual rate contract basis for the academic year 2022-23.

The pleas alleged that the amendment was introduced only to benefit a section of suppliers and the impugned condition would benefit suppliers who had already participated in the tender last year. “Therefore, the price quoted by the favoured participants may well be onerously high and, in the absence of the competition that has been eliminated now, would result in a loss to the exchequer,” the petitioners contended.

However, the judge rejected their contentions stating that mere allegations of cartelisation and possible loss to the exchequer would not be sufficient to clinch the petitioners’ case, as they are to be borne out from the facts and actual data to be placed before the authorities.