Delhi High Court Upholds CRPF's Sniper Rifle Bid Rejection

The Delhi High Court has backed the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in its decision to disqualify Stumpp Schuele Lewis Machine Tools Pvt. Ltd. from supplying sniper rifles and ammunition. The company had contested the decision, alleging technical biases and an unfair advantage given to rival bidders.

A Division Bench, comprising Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora and Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta, concluded that the petitioner had received sufficient trial opportunities, including a second round. The Court found no validity in claims that weather or mirage disrupted the trial results, and highlighted that allowing another trial could potentially weaken the procurement process and establish a harmful precedent.

Referring to the Supreme Court's Tata Motors Ltd. case, the Bench emphasized that a disqualified bidder lacks the right to challenge others' selection. While the petitioner argued its use of specified Ball/Lock Base ammunition against competitors' Hollow Point Boat Tail (HPBT) rounds, the Court sided with the CRPF's interpretation that the tender allowed HPBT. Significantly, various objections were only raised post-failure, with all involved parties initially agreeing to the trial terms.