Case name: Petition(s) for Special Leave to Appeal (C) No(s). 17746/2026 and 18769/2026 (combined).
Parties: SNL & Company (petitioner) vs M/s R & B Infra Projects Limited & Ors. (respondents).
Court/Authority: Supreme Court of India.
Order/Decision date: 27‑05‑2026 (hearing and order).
Related prior orders: High Court of Gujarat, Ahmedabad – final judgment dated 08‑05‑2026 in SCA No.5436/2026; High Court order dated 01‑04‑2026; Special Civil Applications No.4641/2026, No.5436/2026, No.4647/2026.
Tender timeline: Invitation dated 15‑01‑2026; original bid deadline 04‑02‑2026 extended to 23‑02‑2026; work order issued to SNL & Company on 30‑03‑2026.
Parties Involved
Petitioner: SNL & Company, represented by senior counsel Mr. Shyam Diwan, Mr. Vijay Hansaria, and others.
Respondent No.1: M/s R & B Infra Projects Limited, represented by Sr. Adv. Mr. Navin Pahwa and Sr. Adv. Mr. Mohit D. Ram.
Third party (mentioned in High Court): Yogi Construction Co.
Tendering authority: Porbandar Municipal Corporation (PMC).
Blacklisted partnership: N.P. Patel & Company, of which Mr. Siddharth Narendrakumar Unagariya is a 90 % partner and also proprietor of SNL & Company.
Judges: Hon’ble Mr. Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Hon’ble Mr. Justice K.V. Viswanathan.
Court Master: Anita Malhotra and Pooja Sharma (AR‑CUM‑PS).
Issues / Allegations / Violations
Eligibility of SNL & Company: Alleged to have relied on the work experience of the blacklisted partnership N.P. Patel & Company, thereby violating tender eligibility criteria.
Eligibility of R & B Infra Projects Ltd: Alleged failure to furnish the registration certificate of another State and to upload it online; High Court allowed physical submission under Clause 24 of tender documents.
Blacklisting: N.P. Patel & Company had been blacklisted in other tenders, a fact upheld by courts, leading to disqualification of any entity relying on its experience.
Tender procedural compliance: Questions over whether the PMC correctly applied the tender clauses and whether the original tender notice complied with law.
Findings & Observations
The Supreme Court observed that both petitions raise identical issues and involve the same parties; therefore, they are disposed of by a common order.
The Court noted that the petitioner’s reliance on the blacklisted partnership’s experience makes the petitioner ineligible.
The Court found no merit in further examining the High Court’s detailed reasoning and instead focused on the procedural defect in the original tender.
It concluded that the original tender notice dated 15‑Jan‑2026 must be cancelled.
Penalties / Settlements / Directions
No monetary penalties or fines were imposed on any party.
Direction: The Porbandar Municipal Corporation shall cancel the original tender notice and issue a fresh tender in accordance with applicable law.
Corrective Actions & Future Obligations
PMC must conduct a new tender process for the sewage treatment plant (11 MLD & 3 MLD) and associated pumping stations.
Any interested party, including SNL & Company and R & B Infra Projects Ltd, may participate in the fresh tender provided they satisfy all eligibility criteria stipulated in the new tender documents.
Final Ruling & Enforcement
The Special Leave Petitions (SLP (C) No. 17746/2026 and 18769/2026) are disposed of.
All pending applications related to these matters are also disposed of.
The order is signed by Court Master Anita Malhotra and Pooja Sharma.
