STATE OF ORISSA vs M/S. TATA IRON & STEEL CO. LTD. .

The Supreme Court upheld the Orissa High Court's decision that the technical bids of Visa Industries Limited and Tata Iron and Steel Co. Ltd. could not be rejected without proper evaluation, violating principles of fair competition and public interest. The Court emphasized that the selection process for the Joint Venture Partner was flawed, as it lacked impartial assessment and transparency. Consequently, the decision of IDCOL to select Jindal was set aside, allowing for a fresh advertisement to clarify the requirements for the project.