THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY WRIT PETITION NO.6168 OF 2010 Dated 18th March, 2010 Between: Y.Narayana and two others …Petitioners And Northern Power Distribution Company Limited and another …Respondents Counsel for the petitioners : Sri P.Giri Krishna Counsel for the respondents : Sri O.Manohar Reddy The Court made the following ORDER: The petitioners, who are electrical contractors, filed this writ petition feeling aggrieved by Condition No.4.iii of tender notice issued by the respondents calling for tenders for manning and maintenance of 33/11 K.V.Sub-Stations in Adilabad Circle for the year 2010-2011. The petitioners pleaded that insisting on employees’ provident fund code number (EPF Code) as a pre-condition for considering the tenders is arbitrary. According to the petitioners for maintenance of E-Sub-Station, about 5 labourers are required and that unless one tenderer gets four works, it will not be necessary for him to get himself registered under the Employees’ Provident Funds and Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952 (for short “the Act”), under which registration is compulsory where a minimum of 20 workmen are engaged by the contractor. After hearing the learned Standing Counsel for the respondents, I am of the view that the grievance of the petitioners appears to be justified. It is not in dispute that under the Act for getting the establishment registered, a minimum of 20 persons need to be employed. Unless the petitioners are awarded such number of works, as may be requiring employment of not less than 20 workmen, there will be no necessity for the tenderers to get registration in advance. In this view of the matter, the writ petition is disposed of in the following terms. (1) The respondents are directed to receive and consider the petitioners’ tenders without insisting on compliance with Condition No. 4.iii of the tender notice. (2) If each of the petitioners is awarded such number of works as may be requiring engagement of not less than 20 workmen, the petitioners shall get their establishments registered within a period of one month from the date of acceptance of their tenders and (3) if proof of registration is not produced before the respondents within the above stipulated time, the respondents shall be free to cancel the allotment of work. As a sequel to disposal of main petition, WPMP No.7934 of 2010 filed by the petitioners for interim relief is disposed of as infructuous. C.V.NAGARJUNA REDDY, J Dated 18th March, 2010 vrn