Mumbai: Tata Motors yesterday knocked doors of the Bombay High Court challenging its disqualification from the tender process for 1,400 electric buses for the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking.
A vacation bench of Justices Nitin Sambre accompanied by Anil Pansare ordered the transport undertaking to submit its reply to the plea challenging the elemination.
Tata Motors has stated that the BEST had erroneously labelled its bid as “technically non-responsive”, for allegedly deviating from tender requirements.
The auto gaint appointed Mustafa Doctor, senior advocate instructed by Karanjawala and co and Lexicon, argued before the court the company’s bid was in conformity with the terms of the Tender inspite which it was counted out.
Senior Advocate Sharan Jagtiani,who is representing the BEST has denied the allegations.The next hearing on the matter is scheduled May 23rd.
BMC opposition leader Ravi Raja has written to the BEST General manager Lokesh Chandra Undertaking and alleged corruption in the tender process for procuring 1,400 electric buses on a rental basis.
Alleging a scam, he said “There is no transparency in the selection of tender as renowned companies are being rejected showing a technical fault”
He further said “Technical criteria of selection of buses have been tricked in such a way that companies like Tata and others will go out of the selection process.”
In February, BJP MLA Mihir Kotecha had also raised concerns blaming the CM’s party for awarding contracts to selective contractors only.
In his letter he said “Ashok Leyland, Green Cell, Tata Motors etc are kept out by tweaking qualification criteria.”
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