Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court advised the state Auqaf Board to utilize the services of the present contractor Syed Fasihuddin for managing the affairs of Dargah Jahangir Peeran.
The High Court was hearing the writ petition filed by Syed Fasihuddin vide number 15855/2021 wherein he requested the Court to order a six months extension of the contract which has expired on August 11, 2021, and he must be given a six months extension to continue with the contract to manage 17 affairs related to Dargah.
The petitioner said in his petition that denying the extension of the contract for six months will be against the Indian Constitution’s Article Nos. 19 and 21. His attorney Advocate Kiran Pala Kirti told the High Court that his client has taken the contract to manage 17 tasks related to the management of the Dargah against a sum of Rs.1.5 cr for one year which has expired on August 11.
His attorney said that the pandemic and ban on people to visit the shrine led to heavy losses incurred by his client Syed Fasihuddin.
Kirti told the court that the Auqaf Board called the new tender after the expiry of the contract. But not a single contractor came forward to participate in the tender and hence no contractor was selected to manage the affairs of the Shrine. He pleaded to the court that his client – the present contractor – should be given an extension of six months to manage 17 tasks related to the management of the Dargah.
The attorney of the Waqf Board Advocate Abu Ikraam told the court that tender was sought but no decision has yet been made to grant the tender to anyone. He said that if the present contractor agrees to increase 15% value of the contract, his services can be extended.
The Contractor’s Attorney told the court that the amount of 15% is more and his client is ready to increase the value by 10%.
The High Court Justice P Naveen Rao said that the demand for 15% increase is reasonable and hence the current contract can be extended against 15% increase in contract value to enable the present contractor to manage 17 tasks related to the shrine.
With this advice, the Justice P Pravin Rao set aside the petitioner’s application.