KATHMANDU, Nov 8: A writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court on Tuesday seeking immediate intervention of the Supreme Court against the government decision to award the 650 MW Tamakoshi III Hydropower Project to TBI Holdings without soliciting competitive bidding.
The writ petitioner has accused the Ministry of Energy of violating several constitutional and legal provisions while awarding the project to TBI Holdings, which is owned by Bhaban Bhatta, the newly-elected president of Non-Resident Nepalis Association, and sought an interim order to immediately suspend the ministry's decision.
TBI Holdings gets license, but government may get nothing
Advocate Khadga Bahadur Budhathoki filed the petition challenging the government decision to award the project to TBI Holdings without completing the necessary process required by the Public Procurement Act, Good Governance Act and various provisions of the constitution.
The petitioner has named the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Energy, the Department of Electricity Development and TBI Holdings as defendants.
The petitioner accused the ministry of acting in haste arguing that it took the decision on October 11, just a day after receiving an application from TBI Holdings. The advocate has alleged that the decision was taken with ill intent at a time when the entire country is focussed on elections.
