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In an order on defence procurement, the Delhi High Court has upheld the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) decision to reject the bid of Stumpp Schuele Lewis Machine Tools Pvt. Ltd. for the supply of sniper rifles and ammunition.
The Court dismissed the company's challenge, which alleged technical bias and unfair advantage to rival bidders. A Division Bench comprising Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora and Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta ruled that the petitioner was given ample opportunity, including a second round of field trials. The Court found no merit in the argument that weather conditions or mirage effects caused the petitioner's failure. It emphasised that allowing a third trial would undermine the procurement process and set a problematic precedent. The Court accepted the CRPF's interpretation that "matching ammunition" included Hollow Point Boat Tail (HPBT) rounds. It noted that all bidders had agreed to the trial methodology in advance, and the petitioner's objections surfaced only after failing the trial--making them appear as an afterthought. Citing the Supreme Court's ruling in the Tata Motors Ltd. case, the Bench reiterated that a disqualified bidder has no standing to challenge the selection of others. The petitioner had contested its disqualification via a March 27, 2025, letter, arguing that it used the specified Ball/Lock Base ammunition, while competitors used HPBT rounds--allegedly in violation of tender norms and international standards. It also cited favourable results from earlier Pune trials and requested a fresh trial, citing environmental interference during testing. However, the Union of India and CRPF countered that the tender's term "matching ammunition" encompassed HPBT. They pointed out that no objections were raised during or immediately after the trials, and all bidders--including the petitioner--had signed fair trial certificates. They also argued that the ballistic difference between HPBT and Ball/Lock Base was negligible at the 400-meter range, and a third trial would compromise the integrity and timeliness of the procurement. Advocate Rohan Jaitley appeared as Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) for the Union of India, along with Advocates Varun Pratap Singh, Dev Pratap Shani, and Yogya Bhatia, who appeared on behalf of the CRPF. The case stems from a CRPF tender issued on September 24, 2024, for 200 sniper rifles chambered in .338 Lapua Magnum and 20,000 rounds of ammunition. Three firms--Stumpp Schuele Lewis, PLR Systems, and ICOMM Tele Ltd.--participated in the trials. The first round, held in January 2025 in Pune, saw none of the bidders meet all accuracy benchmarks. A second round in February at the CRPF Academy in Gurugram resulted in PLR Systems and ICOMM passing, while the petitioner failed to meet the 400-meter accuracy requirement. (ANI)
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