HC seeks BMC reply on PIL alleging rigging of tenders for medicines

The Bombay High Court on Fridaydirected the Mumbai civic body to respond to a PIL filed by aBJP MLA alleging compromise on standards in the procurement ofmedicines at hospitals amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

MLA Ashish Shelar also alleged in the public interestlitigation that conditions in the tender for supply ofmedicines and disinfectants was changed for the benefit ofcertain manufacturers.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta andJustice G S Kulkarni, however, noted that judicial review of atender process was not advisable.

''The government is the master in such a tender processas it is aware of the situation and requirements. They knowwhat conditions to impose in the tender,'' Justice Kulkarnisaid.

''Who are you (Shelar) to complain if the bidders arealright and have no problem with the conditions imposed,'' saidChief Justice Datta.

The court posted the plea for further hearing nextweek and asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) tofile its affidavit in response to the petition.

Shelar's plea said that during the pandemic, medicinesand disinfectants procured by civic-run hospitals should be ofthe highest standards.

There was ''infringement of the norms ofaccountability, rationality and manifestation of arbitrarinessand perversity in the tendering process'', it alleged.

The BMC keeps changing the eligibility criteria,Shelar claimed.