New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stayed the order granting the contract for the construction of the seven-story court complex in Kannur to the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society. 

A bench of the top court comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and Sanjay Kumar questioned how the society, which quoted a higher amount, could be granted the contract. The court also sent notices to the opposing parties, including the state government.

AM Muhammed Ali’s Nirman Constructions had given the lowest quotation for the construction of the court complex. However, the division bench of the Kerala High Court ordered granting the contract to the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society, which quoted 7.1 percent more than the quotation given by Nariman Constructions. 

The HC division bench’s ruling was based on the government order issued in 1997. The top court was issuing the stay order on a petition filed against it.  

Appearing for Nariman Constructions, advocates Dushyant Dave and Haris Beeran argued that they had given the lowest quotation for the construction. They also pointed out that the government order in effect turns a roadblock for those companies submitting the lowest quotation.

The counsel also pointed out that the government had given the company the contract and a single bench of the high court had approved this. However, the division bench citing some technical reasons ordered granting the contract to Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society, they noted.