PWD cancels Rs 15.99 cr new Vidhan Sabha tender

 

 

 

 

The Public Works Department (PWD) has cancelled the Rs 15.99-crore tender for furniture fixing and installation at the New Vidhan Sabha complex in Naya Raipur following sustained scrutiny over its technical specifications, bid handling and allegations of restricted competition. The decision comes amid escalating objections from bidders, legal intervention and growing concern within administrative circles over the robustness and defensibility of the procurement process. The matter drew wider attention after ‘The Hitavada’, in its Raipur Cityline edition dated November 19, 2025, reported in detail on concerns relating to restrictive tender conditions, delayed bid opening and the absence of official responses to queries raised by stakeholders. The publication brought the procurement under sharper focus and was followed by a spurt in formal complaints and representations. The tender, floated on the Government e Marketplace as Bid No. GEM 2025 B 6751870 on October 6, 2025, came under criticism for prescribing narrowly framed technical requirements that were alleged to favour a single original equipment manufacturer, according to “officials in the department privy to the tender process.” They pointed to the mandatory inclusion of dual international certifications, Forest Stewardship Council and Supplier Ethical Data Exchange, noting that such conditions are not routinely insisted upon in comparable government furniture tenders and were perceived as limiting wider participation. Procedural irregularities further complicated the process. Officials familiar with the handling of the tender said the technical bid opening, scheduled for October 25, did not take place on the appointed date and no public corrigendum was issued to explain the delay. The bids were eventually opened only on November 14 or 15, as reflected on the GeM portal, a development that intensified apprehensions among bidders over procedural transparency. By that stage, internal reviews had also flagged concerns of possible cartelisation, with one bidder reportedly submitting multiple supporting bids through associated or partner entities. As the controversy unfolded, departmental sources indicated that pressure on the department increased sharply, with vendors actively pursuing their objections and at least one bidder approaching the High Court seeking relief. The handling of the tender subsequently came under scrutiny at higher levels of the administration, with questions being raised over both the defensibility of the technical criteria and the prolonged delay in opening bids. Officials aware of the internal deliberations said that PWD officials, who were overseeing the procurement, faced sustained pressure as the issue escalated to ministers and senior bureaucrats. With technical evaluation underway and indications that disqualifications could still leave a narrow pool of bidders aligned with the disputed specifications, the department opted to cancel the tender to avoid further procedural and legal complications. PWD has not issued a detailed public statement outlining the reasons for the cancellation. However, departmental sources said any future tendering exercise would be revisited with emphasis on adherence to standard norms, removal of restrictive clauses and ensuring wider, transparent competition.