HC Dismisses Appeal Against Tender Process of Hair Collection at Vemulawada
A division bench of the High Court, comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice Gadi Praveen Kumar, observed that the writ petition was filed on July 23, 2025, well after the tender had been awarded and approved.
Hyderabad:The Telangana High Court has dismissed a writ appeal filed by Durai Enterprises, represented by its proprietor P. Muthumohandas, challenging the tender process for the collection and distribution of human hair at the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Devasthanam in Vemulawada, Rajanna Sircilla district.
A division bench of the High Court, comprising Justice Moushumi Bhattacharya and Justice Gadi Praveen Kumar, observed that the writ petition was filed on July 23, 2025, well after the tender had been awarded and approved.
Affirming the single judge’s decision, the division bench held that Durai Enterprises lacked locus standi, as it had not participated in the tender process. The bench also said that the reliefs sought in the petition had already become infructuous and the prayers made in the writ petition were internally inconsistent.
The petitioners appealed against an earlier order of a single judge, who declined to entertain the writ petition on the ground that the tender in question had already been finalised and awarded to Kalawati Enterprises of Secunderabad after following the prescribed procedure.
The case relates to an e-tender issued by the commissioner of the endowments department and the executive officer of the temple, inviting bids for granting licence rights to collect human hair offered by devotees.
Although Durai Enterprises claimed experience in the business and participation in earlier tenders, it was undisputed that the firm did not take part in the sixth tender, which formed the subject of the litigation. Kalawati Enterprises, on the other hand, participated and emerged as the highest bidder.
While the executive officer proposed reopening the tender process on April 26, 2025, the decision was revisited after Kalawati Enterprises made a representation to the government. Acting on the complaint, the principal secretary to the government, revenue (endowments) department, instructed the officials to reconsider the matter in accordance with procurement norms.
Taking note of the potential legal consequences of cancelling the tender, the authorities decided to proceed with the existing process through a memo dated June 28, 2025, and granted a licence to Kalawati Enterprises for two years. The final approval was issued on July 10, 2025.