judgment for that of the experts in the committee unless there is evidence of gross illegality. Learned State counsel denies any allegation of favoritism toward the private respondent. The private respondent was found "Technically Eligible" on November 18, 2025, after satisfying all requisite conditions of the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT). The petitioner's claim regarding the source of the performance security is a matter of internal financial verification, and the selection of the successful bidder was conducted in accordance with the Chhattisgarh Minor Mineral Ordinary Sand Rules, 2025. Under Rule 7(5) of the notification dated September 12, 2025, it is established that in the course of an auction dispute, the decision of the Collector shall be final and binding. He would also submit that the administrative process is robust, and the petitioner's dissatisfaction with the outcome does not equate to "arbitrariness" or "whimsical" action by the State. He would further submit that the writ petition is devoid of merit. The petitioner was disqualified for a failure to comply with the technical requirements of the online portal. Therefore, the impugned Note Sheet (Annexure P-1) and Order (Annexure P-2) should be upheld to allow the public auction and mining activities to proceed without further delay.
