The legal hurdle against the Haryana government’s digital push in rural development was cleared today as the High Court upheld the validity of e-tendering for village projects.
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The Core Argument: The petition had challenged the government’s rule which mandated that any development work in a village costing more than ₹5 lakh must be executed through e-tendering. The Sarpanches claimed this curtailed their administrative freedom and led to delays in local works.
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The Court’s Verdict: A division bench observed that the government has the right to formulate policies that ensure the judicious use of the public exchequer. The Court noted that e-tendering is a “standard global practice” that minimizes corruption by allowing competitive bidding from verified contractors.
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State Government Reaction: Government spokespersons hailed the decision, stating that it validates their “Zero Tolerance for Corruption” policy. “E-tendering doesn’t take away a Sarpanch’s power to propose work; it only ensures that the execution is transparent and the tax-payers’ money is protected,” said a senior official from the Development and Panchayats Department.
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Implementation Status: With this legal victory, the state is now set to fast-track pending developmental projects across thousands of Gram Panchayats that were stalled due to local resistance or legal stay orders.
