JABALPUR, India, Jan. 19 -- Madhya Pradesh High Court issued the following judgment/order on Dec. 17:

1. Petitioner impugns a corrigendum dated 17.10.2025 to a tender issued by respondent No.2. Petitioner further seeks quashing of entire tender process alleging that the process was neither fair nor transparent.

2. Respondent No.2 had invited tenders for operating the handicraft helpline centre.

3. As per the petitioner the tender conditions were altered after the initial tender was issued by a corrigendum notice dated 17.10.2025. The original date for submission of the bid was on 20.10.2025 which was amended by the corrigendum dated 17.10.2025 and the last date was extended to 25.10.2025. Subsequently, by notification dated 27.10.2025 the date was extended to 30.10.2025.

4. As per the petitioner, petitioner had originally submitted a bid on 25.10.2025. The tender was a two stage tender process, whereby both technical and financial bids had to be submitted. The Technical bids had to be evaluated prior to opening of the financial bids.

5. As per the petitioner, petitioner submitted the bid on 25.10.2025, however the petitioner withdrew its financial bid. As per the petitioner financial bid was withdrawn to maintain confidentiality of the financial terms.

6. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the respondent in order to oust bidders kept the time for tender submission as 9:00 AM on 30th October, 2025 contrary to the earlier practice wherein it was 9:00 PM on the date of submission. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that petitioner did not submit the financial bid before the closer of bid submission time. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the tender conditions have been modified to suit some third party and time had been extended to favour some entity.

7. We note that petitioner had initially submitted a bid on 25.10.2025 however, the financial bid was withdrawn on the very same date i.e. on 25.10.2025, clearly there is no merit in the contention of the petitioner that the financial bid was withdrawn as the bid submission date was extended. Petitioner has withdrawn its bid on 25.10.2025 itself prior to the closure of the time for initial submission of the bid. Furthermore, we note that the corrigendum was issued was on 17.10.2025 and petitioner had participated in the tender by submitting its technical bid on 25.10.2025 knowing fully well the amended terms of the tender. It is well settled position of law that an entity who participates in a bidding process cannot be permitted to challenge the same after having participated in the same.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://mphc.gov.in/upload/jabalpur/MPHCJB/2025/WP/47901/WP_47901_2025_FinalOrder_17-12-2025_digi.pdf)

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