High court issues notice to Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation over liquor tender irregularities

RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh high court has issued a notice to the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL) and two others, seeking a response to alleged irregularities in the tender for transporting country and foreign liquor to various retail units across the state.
On February 16, 2024, CSMCL released a tender for the transportation of domestic and imported liquor from warehouses to various retail outlets throughout the state of Chhattisgarh.The tender divided the state into 12 distinct zones, and while applicants were allowed to participate in multiple zones, they could only be selected for a maximum of two. Additionally, the tender conditions stipulated that if two individuals from the same family participated separately, they would all be declared ineligible.
The petitioner, Singh & Company, through its proprietor Randhir Kumar Singh, participated in three zones: Zone 1 (Raipur), Zone 4 (North Bastar Kanker, Kondagaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Balod, and Narayanpur), and Zone 6 (Dhamtari, Bastar, South Bastar Dantewada, Bijapur, and Sukma). Private respondent Shri Sai Ram Enterprises also participated in Zones 1, 4, and 6, while Sai Udyog participated in Zone 5 (Bilaspur). Notably, both private respondents are members of the same family. Consequently, CSMCL rejected Sai Udyog's application but unlawfully awarded the tender for Zones 1 and 6 to Shri Sai Ram Enterprises.
Singh & Company, who had secured the second position in the eligibility criteria for both Zones 1 and 6, was denied the tender due to CSMCL's unjustified decision. Aggrieved by this, Singh & Company represented by advocate Mateen Siddiqui, filed a petition before the Chhattisgarh high court's single bench of Justice PP Sahu, requesting the cancellation of the tender awarded to the ineligible company.
Justice PP Sahu, while hearing the case, issued notices to the respondents, Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited, Shri Sai Ram Enterprises, and Sai Udyog, seeking their response.