High Court Punjab-Haryana High Court

Bahadur Transport Company vs Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. & Ors on 7 September, 2009

Punjab-Haryana High Court
Bahadur Transport Company vs Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. & Ors on 7 September, 2009
     IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT
                            CHANDIGARH.

                                     C.W.P. No.12391 of 2009 (O&M)
                                          Date of decision: 7.9.2009


Bahadur Transport Company.
                                                           -----Petitioner
                                   Vs.
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. & Ors.
                                                       -----Respondents

CORAM:- HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE ADARSH KUMAR GOEL
            HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE DAYA CHAUDHARY


Present:-   Mr. T.P.S. Tung, Advocate
            for the petitioner.
            Mr. S.C. Kapoor, Sr. Advocate with
            Mr. Ashish Kapoor, Advocate
            for respondent No.2.
                  ---


ORDER:

1. The petitioner is aggrieved by orders dated 27.7.2009,

Annexure P-12 and 30.7.2009, Annexure P-13, stopping the work

allotted to the petitioner, forfeiting the security and blacklisting.

2. The petitioner gave its bid for transportation of bulk

petroleum products in pursuance of Notice inviting tenders,

Annexure P-1, issued in June, 2008. The work was allotted to it

but later, the same was stopped. Show Cause Notice dated

2.7.2009, Annexure P-8, was issued, proposing to cancel the

contract on the ground that Explosive Licence in respect of one of

the trucks i.e. PB-03B-2154 appeared to be forged. The petitioner
CWP No.12391 of 2009 2

filed a writ petition being C.W.P. No.9143 of 2009 which was

disposed of on 6.7.2009 with a direction to the D.G.M. (Operation)

to consider the view point of the petitioner and take a decision.

Thereafter, the impugned orders have been passed.

3. We have heard learned counsel for the parties.

4. Learned counsel for the petitioner has not been able to

state as to how the explosive licence, purporting to have been

issued by the competent authority but which had not in fact been

so issued was produced. In these circumstances, it cannot be

held that the impugned orders have been passed without any

justification. Moreover, the petitioner has alternative remedy of

going for arbitration in terms of the contract.

5. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the

impugned order is too harsh. We cannot go into this question as

scope of writ jurisdiction is confined to illegality, irrationality or

procedural irregularities. The petitioner may, if so advised,

approach the concerned authority.

6. It has also been submitted that no period has been

specified for blacklisting the petitioner and such an order of

indefinite duration could not be passed.

7. Learned counsel for the respondent No.2 states that

blacklisting of the petitioner will be for a period of one year w.e.f.

21.5.2009.

8. Accordingly, the petition is disposed of. It is made

clear that blacklisting will be for one year from 21.5.2009 and the
CWP No.12391 of 2009 3

petitioner will be at liberty to take alternative remedies for any other

relief in accordance with law.


                                         (ADARSH KUMAR GOEL)
                                                 JUDGE


September 07, 2009                         ( DAYA CHAUDHARY )
ashwani                                           JUDGE