Kerala High Court Directs State Electricity Board To Publish Whole Works Contracts On Their Website

The Court emphasized that the KSEBL being an instrumentality of the state should be "transparent" in inviting tenders. The Court had enquired about the possibility of advertising the tenders through the website.

To this the Board responded that it does not have enough personnel to publish petty work contracts across all sections. It has submitted that at least 3 months' time is required to set up adequate infrastructural, human resource and procedural arrangements to facilitate publication of all work-contracts.

However, the Board had clarified that it would be impractical for advance publication of tender notices for emergency works like those required due to breakdowns due to accidents, natural calamities or electrical hazards posing threat to life or property.

Justice Mohammed Nias C. P. in the order passed on April said:

"Though I find substantial force in the argument of the learned standing counsel for the KSEB on the locus of the petitioner, taking into account the public interest and to ensure transparency, the following directions are issued; Four months is granted from today to the Board to institute adequate infrastructural, even resources and procedural arrangements to capacitate publication of whole works contract in the website, which will prevent the allegations of favouritism in the award of grant of contract".

Counsel for the Petitioner: Advocate P. B. Ajoy

Counsel for the Respondent: Advocates G. Keerthivas, Riji Rajendran, Surya Binoy (Sr. GP)

Case No: WP(C) 30475 of 2018

Case Title: T. N. Gopalan @ T. N. Gopalakrishnan and Others v State of Kerala and Others

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Ker) 290