Supreme Court rejects challenge to ₹34 crore Delhi school sports tender

The Supreme Court of India has dismissed a legal challenge against a ₹34 crore tender issued by the Delhi Directorate of Education for the procurement of sports goods and outdoor gym equipment for government schools. The tender is intended to serve approximately 1.6 million students.

The appellants, including Utkarsh Enterprises, argued that certain eligibility conditions—such as mandatory local office and warehouse requirements in Delhi/NCR, minimum turnover thresholds, and the submission of physical samples—were arbitrary and exclusionary. They contended that these requirements unfairly barred qualified suppliers from outside the region.

The Court rejected the challenge, noting that the litigation was initiated approximately four months after the tender's publication. By the time the case reached the court, one tender had already been awarded and others were in advanced stages of technical or financial evaluation. The Court ruled that objections to tender conditions must be raised promptly upon publication rather than after the procurement process has progressed, as delaying challenges can unfairly impact third-party interests and public services.