Listen to this articleUMC Technologies Private
Limited v Food Corporations of India
CIVIL
APPEAL NO 3687 OF 2020 (Arising out of S.L.P. (C) No. 14228 of 2019) decided on
November 16, 2020.
BENCH– S
Abdul Nazeer, BR Gavai, JJ.
FACTS
In
the present case, Food Corporation of India (FCI) issued tenderinviting bids
for appointment of a recruitment agency to conduct the process of recruitment.
Appellant was also one of the bidders and was appointed for the period of 2
years. Later while conducting the examination process the question paper was
leaked. FCI issued a show cause notice to appellant and after due deliberation,
passed an order blacklisting the agency from undertaking FCI projects for period
of next five years. Appellant approached High Court of Madhya Pradesh on
account of being blacklisted, where his challenge was dismissed. Aggrieved by
this he appealed before the Supreme Court of India.
ISSUE
Whether
the FCI’s decision to blacklist the appellant from endeavouring any future FCI
project is ultra vires?
HELD
Supreme Court in its
judgement observed that a clear notice is essential for ensuring that the
person against whom the penalty of blacklisting is intended to be imposed, has
an adequate, informed and meaningful opportunity to show cause against his
possible blacklisting. However in the present case, action of blacklisting was
neither expressly proposed nor could have been inferred from the language
employed by the FCI in the show cause notice. Secondly, the bid contract merely
lays down eligibility criteria and does not grant any power of future
blacklisting. The Court observed that blacklisting a company has some inherent social stigma
attached which may eventually lead to civil death of the appellant. Further,
appellant is not given reasonable opportunity to defend himself; it is
violation of principles of natural justice. Hence on abovementioned
observations the Supreme Court allowed the appeal and set aside the order of
blacklisting.