The Bombay High Court on Monday dismissed several petitions challenging the Maharashtra government’s tender process for distributing subsidized ration kits to 1.7 crore beneficiaries under the Anandacha Shidha scheme for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
A division bench of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar decided that due to the advanced stage of the tender process and the limited time remaining to distribute the food kits, court interference was unnecessary. The court stated, “We are not inclined to interfere at this stage. The petitions are dismissed.”
The high court had previously reserved orders on these pleas and instructed the state government to halt further steps in the tender process until the judgement was delivered on Monday.
On Monday, Sharan Jagtiani, counsel for the petitioners, requested an extension to allow time for an appeal to the Supreme Court. The bench refused, noting that the decision to dismiss the petitions left no room for further relief. “Frankly, you (petitioners) had a very good case, but given the short time (for supply of food kits to beneficiaries), we felt we should not interfere. In such matters, personal interest takes a back seat,” the court said.
Initially introduced to provide subsidised food kits at Rs 100 during Diwali, the Anandacha Shidha scheme was later extended to Gudi Padwa and now Ganesh Chaturthi. The scheme includes the distribution of one kilogram each of rava (suji), chana dal, sugar, and one litre of soybean oil.
Several companies, including Indo Allied Protein Foods Pvt Ltd, Gunia Commercials Pvt Ltd, and Kendriya Bhandar, had challenged certain conditions of the tender process, such as the requirement for bidders to have 70 distribution units and 300 laborers per work order.
Advocate General Birendra Saraf, representing the state government, argued that these conditions were necessary to ensure timely delivery, given that only a month remained before the Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
