Cuttack, Sept. 3: The state-run Orissa State Road Transport Corporation (OSRTC)’s bid to purchase 41-seater buses with push-back facility has come under cloud.

The transport corporation had invited tenders from three prospective bidders two months ago. But the Madhya Pradesh-based VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd has challenged the tender notification in Orissa High Court alleging that the bidding was “illegal” as the company which is the third largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in the country was not included as a prospective bidder.

In a writ petition, Khoma Wangkhemayum Meitei, the attorney representing the company, alleged: “It is really strange that the OSRTC authorities have included a company as prospective bidder which has till date not sold a single bus in the country. It is not known what consideration has weighed with the authorities to include the name of the company as a prospective bidder while excluding the petitioner (VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd) from the zone of consideration.” The high court is yet to take up the petition for hearing.

OSRTC, a joint venture undertaking of the government of India and the Orissa government, operates 300 buses from the state capital Bhubaneswar to district headquarters and beyond daily on 150 routes.

According to the petition, the transport corporation had invited tenders from M/s Ashok Leyland Ltd, M/s Tata Motors Ltd and M/s Ural India Ltd on June 13, 2011.

“VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd had written to OSRTC for inclusion of its name in the tender considering the equal and fair opportunity for being the third largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. But OSRTC refused to include the name of the company,” the petition alleged.

“The petitioner fulfils all the requisite qualifications to be considered for the grant of tender. Excluding it from the bidding arena appears to be tainted with the hidden agenda of the state to favour the chosen player,” the petition alleged, seeking a stay order on the tender notification.

The petitioner claimed to be a pioneer in the field of manufacturing motor vehicle products and engines including heavy vehicles and has been dealing in manufacture, sale and supply of motor vehicles and motor parts to various transport authorities, while being internationally acclaimed for reliability of its products.

The petition alleged that the case “is a clear depiction of illegal gratification and the tender process being tainted with such, has to be set aside with exemplary cost”.

The petition expressed surprise that OSRTC had “unilaterally disqualified” the company from the tender process when it had at no point of time tested the vehicles of the company.