State Need Not Gamble Public Money on a Bidder Whose Credentials Are Under a Cloud: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court

The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has held that when credible material raises doubts about a bidder’s integrity and eligibility during the course of a public contract, the State has both the right and duty to reconsider its decision, rather than proceed solely based on the bidder being the lowest (L-1). In a recent case, the Court dismissed a writ petition filed by M/s SPBL Energy Pvt.…