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• The Madras high court has stopped the processing of tenders for 22 highway contracts in Villupuram district, as a writ petition alleged that the divisional engineer (highways) and ruling partymen refused to give tender forms to a bidder, and then prevented a postman from delivering envelopes containing the bids.Justice KBK Vasuki ordered maintenance of status quo as on December 28, after V Devagi of Kalpattu village in Villupuram district contended that first the divisional engineer refused to issue her the tender schedule inspite of her having paid the required amount through demand drafts. She was forced to move the high court, which directed the official to supply her necessary documents. Even then she received the complete set of documents only after she told them she would be constrained to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the official.
• She then mentioned her quote and sent it by post. On November 23, the official refused to receive Devagi's tender application from the postman. In fact, the postman was not even allowed to enter the office of the divisional engineer, she said. Alleging that the official had acted in collusion with the ruling partymen in the area, she said the plan was to accept bids quoting higher amounts for highway works, despite the fact that it would cause loss to the exchequer.The divisional engineer, instead of discharging the duties as per procedure contemplated under law, committed criminal offences such as obstructing the postman, who is a public servant, from delivering posts, she said. Devagi said the happenings at the divisional engineer's office premises were widely reported in various newspapers, and wanted the court to direct the official to receive her bid and conduct the tender process in accordance with law.When the matter was taken up for hearing, the advocate-general sought time. Adjourning the matter to January 4, the judge said the status quo as on December 28 should be maintained in the mean time.

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