SABYASACHI BHATTACHARYYA,J. - (1.) At the outset, it may be noted that counsel for the petitioners and respondent nos. 3 to 5, apart from arguing orally, submit succinct notes of arguments, which effort is appreciated by this court.
(2.) The petitioners' case is that the petitioner no. 1, a joint venture consortium, had participated in a tender issued by the ECL authorities, that is, respondent no. 3, on February 26, 2020 inter alia for the works of extraction, transportation, removal and re-handling of coal.
(3.) As per the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT), the estimated contract value of the tender was Rs.1,17,95,10,500/- and the earnest value payable with the bid was Rs.21,06,300/-. The contract period of completion was 255 days.;