The Delhi High Court on Wednesday quashed the city government’s eligibility condition related to average annual turnover for NGOs seeking tender of the Mid Day Meal scheme, terming it as “arbitrary” and “unreasonable”.
‘Rework appropriately’
The court directed the Delhi government to appropriately rework the eligibility condition (of possessing an average annual turnover of ₹3 crore for the preceding three years) and other minimum requirements to enable wider participation of NGOs.
“This court is of the opinion that the impugned eligibility condition is arbitrary and unreasonable, and is accordingly quashed,” a High Court Bench said.
The court’s order came on a petition by four NGOs challenging the tender condition formulated by the Delhi government while inviting bids for the Mid Day Meal scheme. The NGOs had alleged that the eligibility condition of a minimum threshold of ₹3 crore average financial turnover, during the previous three years, was arbitrary.