The Chhattisgarh High Court has stepped in to seek clearer details regarding the ongoing procurement of vital medical equipment for the Chhattisgarh Institute of Medical Sciences (CIMS) in Bilaspur. A Division Bench expressed concerns after discovering that several categories in the tender process did not attract the mandatory minimum number of bidders, potentially delaying the upgrade of healthcare infrastructure.
Court Scrutinizes CGMSC's Affidavit on Tender Status
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Bibhu Datta Guru, reviewed a personal affidavit submitted by the Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation Ltd (CGMSC). This affidavit was filed in response to the court's earlier directive issued on December 9, 2025. The document outlined the progress of the tender floated on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal on October 11, 2025.
The procurement was divided into five distinct equipment categories, each requiring independent evaluation. As per standard norms, a minimum of three technically qualified bidders is needed for each category to proceed fairly.
Mixed Response from Bidders Across Categories
The CGMSC's affidavit revealed a split outcome in the bidding process. In two categories—Radiology Equipment (Schedule-2) and Critical Care Equipment-1 (Schedule-3)—the response was adequate, with four and three bidders participating respectively. For these, the corporation has issued claim-objection notices (dawa-appatti) on December 16, allowing bidders three days to provide clarifications.
The final decision for these two schedules hinges on the scrutiny of the bidders' replies. CGMSC assured the court that if at least three bidders are found technically qualified, the process would move forward without delay. However, if the numbers fall short, the tender would be cancelled and a fresh one issued within a fortnight.
Three Categories Face Certain Re-tender
The situation is more straightforward for the remaining three categories. The affidavit admitted that Lab Equipment (Schedule-1), Critical Care Equipment-2 (Schedule-4), and Other Equipment (Schedule-5) each attracted fewer than three bidders. Since this was the first call for tender, CGMSC stated it would issue a second call for these specific categories within two weeks, following due procedure.
Noting this admission, the High Court observed that a re-tender for these three categories appears inevitable. The bench has now directed the CGMSC Managing Director to file a fresh affidavit. This new report must clarify whether any bidders have been finally finalized for any of the five equipment categories, bringing total transparency to the process.
The court's intervention underscores the challenges in public procurement of specialized medical gear and emphasizes the need for strict adherence to transparency and competition norms to ensure the best value for public funds and quality equipment for CIMS, Bilaspur.
