Debarment Cannot Be Lifelong, Penalty Must Be Proportionate; Contractor Allowed to Seek Fresh Registration: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court has ruled that debarment of a contractor can never be permanent and that its duration must depend upon the gravity of misconduct. The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Palli and Justice Rajnesh Oswal held that even where a contractor admits to forgery and financial impropriety, punitive action cannot operate endlessly and must remain proportionate, reasonable and time bound. Background of the…