Hyderabad: Telangana high court has dismissed a writ petition filed by Rosmerta Technologies Limited challenging its disqualification from a major tender for the procurement of personalised PVC QR code smart eation cards. Delivering the order on Jan 8, Justice T Madhavi Devi held that the scope of judicial review in govt contracts involving technical complexities is limited and found no arbitrariness or discrimination in the state’s decision-making process.
The dispute arose from a tender issued by the civil supplies department in March last year for procuring 1.2 crore smart ration cards for below poverty line and above poverty line households. The project forms part of the state’s effort to modernise the public distribution system, which serves over 3.09 crore people in Telangana.Charge against civil supplies Rosmerta Technologies approached the court after its technical bid was rejected, alleging that the disqualification was a ‘malicious afterthought’ aimed at favouring other bidders. The petitioner contended that the civil supplies department failed to supply a physical sample of the smart card, compelling it to prepare a design based on its own interpretation. Opposing the claim, the govt pleader submitted that although physical samples were not handed over to individual bidders, they were displayed for inspection at a pre-bid meeting held on March 17, 2025, which the petitioner did not attend. It was further submitted that the sample was later shown to the petitioner’s representative on March 22 last year. According to the govt, the bid was disqualified primarily because the petitioner failed to provide an encrypted QR application capable of fetching digital details without external links, and because the sample card lacked the mandated security features, namely ‘dual hidden image and relief text.’ Dismissing the petition, Justice Madhavi observed that the court does not possess the technical expertise to examine the specialised evaluation of such security features. The judge further noted that since the sample card was made available for inspection to all bidders on an equal footing, there was no evidence of arbitrary action, and accordingly, dismissed the writ petition.
