National interest paramount, not MNCs contractual rights – SC

The Supreme Court has ruled that private companies cannot complain about violation of their contractual rights by government when national interest is involved in awarding contracts for public projects involving taxpayers’ massive money.

A bench of justices V S Sirpurkar and T S Thakur in a judgement expressed anguish at the manner in which the Tehri Pump Storage Plant could not be taken up for the past three and half years due to the legal battle involving two MNCs–Voith GMBH (respondent No.1) and Alstom (respondent No.2).

“This case is a classic example of the whole nation suffering on account of the fight between two multi-national companies in respect of each other’s rights. There is no dispute that the Tehri Pump Storage Plant project is of utmost importance to the state of Uttarakhand particularly and to the nation generally,” the apex court said.

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