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Journalism of Courage
Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Airport Developers today accused the Centre of arbitrary use of powers in alloting modernisation works of Mumbai and Delhi airports to consortiums led by rival bidders GMR and GVK groups.
Continuing arguments before a bench of Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice S H Kapdia on an RAD petition challenging a Delhi High Court order, Senior counsel Mukul Rohtagi and Soli Sorabjee questioned the government8217;s claim that Request for Proposal document provided absolute discretion to the Airport Authority of India to vary terms of the tender.
8216;8216;Government in a large public contract like the airport case, cannot arbitrarily exercise this discretionary power and has to do so only on a reasoned basis,8217;8217; they contended.
The HC had upheld the government8217;s decision to allot modernisation works of the two airports to GMR and GVK led consortia.
Yesterday, Reliance questioned the expertise of the Group of Eminent Technical Experts, which went into the report of the Government appointed Evaluation Committee that assessed the various bidders for Delhi and Mumbai airport modernization project. 8216;8216;The Committee consisted of E. Sreedharan of the DMRC and Sadasivan, Financial Commissioner in the Ministry of Railways and had expertise only in railways. They have no experience in Airport Development,8217;8217; it contended.
