V.S.Sirpurkar, C.J. - (1.) This appeal is directed against the judgment by the learned Single Judge of the Court dismissing the writ petition filed by the present appellant. In the said writ petition, the original writ petitioner appellant herein had sought for the writ of mandamus directing to withdraw cancel and/or rescind the notice inviting tender dated 4.10.2005 issued for the purpose of bidding for the manufacture of high security registration plates for motor vehicles. The original writ petitioner/appellant herein had further prayed for rescinding the order dated 27.4.2005 cancelling the notice inviting tender dated 14.7.2003 issued for the same purpose. Thirdly a consequential prayer was made of revalidating the last date for submission of tenders in terms of the notice inviting tender dated 14.7.2003. Amongst other prayers, a declaration was sought in respect of Clauses 1.5.2 to 1.5.6, 2.3.2, 4.14, 2.13.4, 2.30. 4.1 and 4.1.2 of the NIT dated 4.10.2005 declaring them as illegal and ultra vires the Central Motor Vehicles (New High Security Registration Plates) Order, 2001 and also further declaring them contradictory to the order passed by the Honourable Supreme Court in a case reported in 2005(1) Supreme Court Cases 679, Association of Registration Plates vs. Union of India & Ors. and also further declaring them as malicious, mala fide and bias so also the prayers for interim reliefs were claimed restraining the authorities from proceeding with the NIT dated 4.10.2005.
(2.) The learned Single Judge after hearing both the parties dismissed the said writ petition. During the pendency of the appeal, it was found that there were number of other parties who had besides the original writ petitioner offered their bids. As such the said parties would have been affected because of the prayer made in the writ petition of cancelling the second NIT dated 4.10.2005 and restoring the tender in pursuance of the first NIT dated 14.7.2003 in which they had not offered the bids. Therefore, all these parties were directed to be joined as the parties to this appeal and were heard.
(3.) Before we take up the appeal for consideration, it would be better to see the factual matrix: FACTUAL MATRIX Rule 50 of the Motor Vehicles Rules was amended firstly on 28.3.2001, 24.9.2001 and on 21.1.2003 with effect from 1.1.2004. The basic object behind these amendments was to curb the vehicle thefts which invariably they were used in various types of crimes like murder, dacoity, kidnapping etc. apart from the terrorist activities. The Central Government on the recommendation of Technical Committee had formulated a system of high security registration plates (HSRP for short).;