Allahabad HC stays Aligarh Nagar Nigam’s order cancelling contract

The petitioner’s contract was cancelled because his character certificate attached with contract was cancelled by DM, Aligarh

The Allahabad high court has stayed the Aligarh Nagar Nigam’s order cancelling the contract granted to one Manoj Kumar Gautam for installation of 135 uni-poles (digital) in the city for advertisement purposes.

The Allahabad high court in Prayagraj (HT File Photo)

The bench comprising justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and justice SQH Rizvi granted interim relief in the petition filed by Gautam, whose contract was cancelled because his character certificate attached with contract was cancelled by DM, Aligarh, on October 4, 2023, after registration of an FIR against Gautam in a criminal offence.

Advocate Tanisha Jahangir Monir appearing for the petitioner argued that the cancellation order of character certificate of the petitioner was quashed by another bench of high court in separate proceedings. Therefore, cancellation of the contract awarded to the petitioner by the Aligarah Nagar Nigam was wrong.

The court, after hearing the parties concerned, said that it cannot be said that as on date there is no character certificate in existence in favour of the petitioner.

While fixing March 4 as the next date of hearing in the case and staying the order cancelling contract awarded to the petitioner, the court directed respondents to file their reply and observed, “Till the next date of listing, effect and operation of the order dated 23.12.2023 passed by the respondent no.4 shall be kept in abeyance.”