#Tender Compliance

The Chhattisgarh High Court struck down the downgrade of a Class-A contractor for failing to disclose sublet work, ruling that applying a newly introduced disclosure requirement to past tenders without prior notice breaches natural justice. The judgment establishes that inadvertent omissions, absent intent to deceive, cannot justify disproportionate penalties under tender regulations.

The Gauhati High Court held that explicit tender conditions prohibiting rate adjustments for route changes bind contractors, even when logistics become costlier. Contractors may still seek compensation under quantum meruit in civil court, but not through writ jurisdiction - reinforcing that public procurement contracts must be interpreted strictly by their terms.