tender for the works, in public interest. The minutes of the meeting of the Committee of the Panchayat held on 12.06.2020 indicates that the Finance Standing Committee of the Panchayat considered the tenders received pursuant to Ext.P1 invitation and recommended to the Committee to retender the works holding that the tenders are not competitive. Ext.P3 is the minutes of the meeting of the Committee of the Panchayat held on 12.06.2020. Ext.P3 minutes also indicates that the rates quoted by the contractors in the tenders submitted pursuant to Ext.P1 were exorbitant when compared to the rates quoted by the contractors for similar works earlier. The materials on record indicate that it is after due deliberation that the Committee of the Panchayat has decided to re-tender the works. Of course, if such a decision is vitiated by malice, the same can be challenged. Though the petitioners would state in ground - D of the writ petition that the impugned decision is vitiated by malice, no material, whatsoever, is placed on record to establish the same. That apart, the statement filed by the Government Pleader on behalf of the second respondent, on an oral direction issued by this Court, reveals that the Panchayat has received far better
