Srinagar, Sep 25: A committee constituted to examine the procurement of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF AUS-32) for the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation’s (JKRTC) BS-VI fleet has recommended cancellation of the subsequent tender and initiation of a fresh, transparent and competitive procurement process through the Government e-Marketplace (GeM), wherever applicable.
The committee has also recommended that Reverse Auction be adopted wherever permissible and appropriate to ensure effective price discovery and greater competition.
The recommendations follow the committee’s finding that the documentary record produced before it did not adequately substantiate JKRTC’s decision to cancel its initial GeM procurement and subsequently shift the purchase to the J&K e-tenders portal, reads the report, a copy of which is with Rising Kashmir.
The committee said the decision to shift the procurement was not adequately supported by the available records, particularly as no contemporaneous technical documentation was produced to substantiate the reported difficulty in conducting the procurement through GeM.
It further recommended securing and properly indexing the complete original procurement record, including pre-bid proceedings, representations from participating agencies, technical correspondence, GeM communications, approvals, financial and procurement advice, tender proceedings, comparative statements, evaluation records and subsequent supply orders.
The committee has also recommended that if any lapse, negligence, dereliction of duty or violation of rules is established and responsibility is fixed on any officer or official, appropriate action should be initiated under the relevant rules after following due process.
The committee observed that JKRTC had initially floated a GeM bid, numbered GEM/2026/8/7566214, on May 21, 2026, for procurement of DEF AUS-32. The bid was subsequently cancelled on stated technical grounds.
However, the committee said the minutes, proceedings or other contemporaneous records specifically recording the examination, recommendation and approval for cancellation of the GeM bid were not made available.
As a result, it said, the precise nature of the technical impediment, the material on which it was established, alternative remedies considered and reasons for concluding that cancellation was necessary could not be independently verified.
The committee also found that detailed minutes of a pre-bid meeting reportedly held on May 26, attended by five agencies, were not made available. The agencies included M/s UE Autotech Pvt. Ltd., M/s Rosmerta Road Safety Pvt. Ltd., HPCL, NPL and Blue Sky Automotive Pvt. Ltd.
According to the material placed before the committee, the participating agencies supported concerns raised regarding participation through GeM and sought an alternative mode of tendering. However, individual representations and detailed proceedings were not produced for verification.
The committee noted that no specific financial advice concerning cancellation of the GeM bid and adoption of another procurement platform was placed before it, to the extent such advice was required under applicable rules.
It also found no documentary evidence establishing that JKRTC had obtained a specific technical opinion from GeM or a competent GeM authority regarding the reported difficulty.
Similarly, no GeM Non-Availability Certificate or equivalent communication was produced to establish that procurement through GeM was not feasible.
The committee said available remedial options on GeM including correction or modification of the product category, issuance of clarification or corrigendum, extension of the bid period and resolution of product classification issues were not shown to have been adequately examined before cancellation.
Following cancellation of the GeM bid, JKRTC floated a fresh tender through the J&K e-Tenders portal under Tender ID 2026_SRTC_311111_1 on May 26, 2026.
The committee observed that the subsequent tender did not incorporate a Reverse Auction mechanism. It said no specific note, justification or approval explaining its non-adoption was found on record.
The issue, it said, was significant given the allegation that the DEF was procured at rates higher than earlier or applicable rates. However, the committee cautioned that any comparison of rates must take into account specifications, quantities, taxes, freight, delivery conditions, validity periods and other commercial terms.
The procurement process came under scrutiny following a complaint or representation alleging irregularities in cancellation of the GeM tender, shifting of the procurement to the J&K e-Tenders portal, inadequate competition and procurement at allegedly higher rates.
The government subsequently constituted the committee through order No. 257-JKRTC of 2026 dated August 5, 2026, with the approval of the Chairman, JKRTC.
The committee comprised Director Finance, Transport Department Romesh Singh, JKAS; Joint Director, State Motor Garages, Sayed Muarif Andrabi; and JKRTC General Manager (Operations) Habibullah.
The committee examined records produced by the JKRTC Purchase and Stores Section and sought additional documents from the Financial Adviser and Chief Accounts Officer (FA&CAO).
It held meetings on August 24, 25 and 27 to scrutinise tender documents, correspondence, approvals and other records. It later sought original records and point-wise clarifications on September 11, but said the requested original documents were not produced and only a written statement of facts was furnished.
The committee said the non-production of the original and contemporaneous records materially limited its ability to conclusively determine the procedural propriety and justification of decisions taken during the procurement process.
