M/S TECHNO PRINTS vs Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation

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CGHC010335222026 2026:CGHC:38809
NAFR
HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR
ARBR No. 55 of 2026
M/s Techno Prints Through Sole Proprietor Vikas Kapoor, S/o Late R.S.
Kapoor, Aged About 59 Years, Registered Office At Behind Banjari Mata
Digitally
signed by
PREETI
KUMARI
Date:
2026.09.02
17:05:50
+0530
Mandir, Near Heera Steel, Rawabhata, Industrial Area, Raipur, Distt - Raipur
PREETI
KUMARI
C.G.
... Applicant
versus
1. Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation Through Its Managing Director,
Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation O/o Chhattisgarh Board Of
Secondary Education, Pension Bada, Raipur, Distt – Raipur, C.G.
2. General Manager Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation O/o Chhattisgarh
Board of Secondary Education, Pension Bada, Raipur, Distt Raipur C.G.
... Respondents
For Applicant : Mr. Himanshu Sinha, Advocate (through video-
conferencing).
For Respondents : Ms. Yashashvi Singh, Advocate holding the brief of
Mr. Arjit Tiwari, Advocate.

Hon’ble Mr. Ramesh Sinha, Chief Justice
Order on Board
02.09.2026
1. This is an application under Sections 11(4) and 11(6) of the Arbitration and
Conciliation Act, 1996 for appointment of an Arbitrator.

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2. The facts, in brief, as projected by the applicant are that the
applicant/claimant is a proprietorship firm engaged in printing and publishing
business. The applicant firm is one of the 30 firm/companies
registered/empanelled with the Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation for the
purpose of printing of various educational and other materials.
Respondent No. 1 is a body corporation registered under the provisions of
Societies Registration Act, 1973 and it has its own by laws and rules.
Respondent No.2 is the functionaries of respondent No. 1.The applicant was
awarded a work order dated 20.01.2020 issued for the printing and
distribution of Module Booklet for State Council for Educational Research
and Training (SCERT) on the E-Tender Notice No. P-4/18-19 issued for
printing and distribution of miscellaneous material for the year 2018-19 to
2020-21 dated 14.04.2018. The Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation invited
tender for distribution and supply of free of cost textbook for all the
government schools of the State of Chhattisgarh on yearly basis and as far
as other educational material for various state instrumentalities such as
Rajeev Gandhi Shiksha Mission, Samagra Shiksha Mission, State Council
for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and other educational
institution the concerned item rate tender was invited for the period of three
years. As per the item rate contract tender various printing firms and
companies registered with the Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation were
declared successful bidders (L-1) as per the specification and parameters of
the printing works. The subject tender notice for item rate contract for
printing and distribution of various study material as per the specification
demanded by various agencies/educational institution of the State
Government the applicant being the registered printer submitted its bid for
various work as projected vide E-Tender Notice. The applicant firm being
successful in various rate contract was declared L-1 and respondent No. 1

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started awarding works contract to the applicant firm for the purpose of
printing and distribution of study materials as and when required by the
Educational Institutions. In line of awarding works the applicant firm was
issued a work order dated 20.01.2020 for printing of module booklets under
"Nishtha" Training Program. It is informed that for various educational
materials under Tender No. P-4/2018-2019 the applicant's rate quoted was
found to be lowest therefore on the basis of the lowest L-1 rate the printing
work of module-1 under the "Nishtha" Training Program was allotted to the
applicant by the State Council of Educational Research and Training
(SCERT), Raipur.
3. Learned counsel for the applicant submits that vide the work order dated
20.01.2020 the applicant was allotted the work of module-1 having
description of material with total 424 pages and 4 covers, total 1,40,000
number of booklets to be printed with the specification of inner pages to be
printed with 80 GSM Multicolour and cover pages to be printed with 250
GSM Multicolour. Cost of each booklet was fixed Rs.165.58/- (excluding
GST). As per the terms and conditions of the work order the printing of the
"Nishtha" Module-1 booklet was to be printed strictly in according to the
approval of the sample copy provided by the SCERT, Raipur. One copy of
the printed booklet was to be submitted in the Corporation's office and the
applicant printer shall be fully liable for any printing error. For the purpose of
payment the supplied printed material was to be submitted to the
Corporation's office along with three copies of delivery challan and only after
verification and submission of the first two copies the payment process would
have been initiated. It was also categorically mentioned that the payment
shall be made only after testing and approval of the sample as per standards
and after the receipt of the payment from the concerned institution the
Textbook Corporation will make the payment of the applicant printer. After

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the three months of the issuance of the work order when the applicant printer
completed its printing works and also made supplies to the various districts
suddenly on 13.03.2020 to the sheer surprise of the applicant the Managing
Director, Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation without assigning any reason
and without affording any opportunity of hearing to the applicant firm, issued
an order of cancellation bearing No. 4833/ / . /179/2020 of subject
पापुनि वि मुद्रण
work order granted to the applicant firm with immediate effects. Further, on
18.03.2020 respondent No. 1 arbitrarily and without having any jurisdiction
terminated the E-Tender Notice No. P-4/18-19 issued for printing and
distribution of miscellaneous material for the year 2018-19 to 2020-21 dated
14.04.2018. The applicant preferred a writ petition challenging the
arbitrariness of the respondent authorities before this Hon'ble Court in
WPC/1078/2020 and vide Order dated 17.07.2023 this Hon'ble Court
dismissed the said Writ Petition for want of prosecution as well as on merits.
Being aggrieved by the same the applicant preferred Special Leave Petition
(C) Diary No. 53072/2025 before the Hon'ble Supreme Court and vide Order
dated 19.09.2025 the Hon'ble Supreme Court was pleased to direct the
applicant to approach the Hon'ble High Court for restoration of the WP(C)
No.1078/2020. Further a restoration application was preferred before this
Hon'ble High Court and by virtue of the same the WP(C) No. 1078/2020 was
restored and heard on merits but vide order dated 05.12.2025 the Hon'ble
High court, considering the petition of the applicant to be devoid of merit was
duly dismissed.
4. The applicant again preferred an SLP(C) No. 11068/2026 challenging the
order dated 05.12.2025 and the Hon'ble Supreme Court vide order dated
10.04.2026 was pleased to direct the applicant to withdraw the SLP and file
application under Section 11 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996
before the Hon'ble High Court. In light of these developments, the applicant

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is compelled to approach this Hon'ble Court under Sections 11 (4) and 11
(6) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, to seek a reference of
disputes to arbitration. The work order dated 20.01.2020 which encapsulates
the arbitration agreement and the mutual intention of the parties to arbitrate,
is included herein for ease of reference. The applicant respectfully submits
that the ongoing disputes necessitate judicial intervention to facilitate the
constitution of the Arbitral Tribunal, allowing for the resolution of claims and
ensuring that the applicant's legitimate rights are safeguarded.
5. Learned counsel for the respondents opposes the present arbitration request
application, however she submits that the respondents shall have no
objection if this Court appoints any Arbitrator for resolving the dispute
between the parties.
6. I have heard learned counsel appearing for the parties, perused the
pleadings and documents appended thereto.
7. A query was put to learned counsel appearing for the parties as to whether
they are agreeable for a common name who can be appointed as Arbitrator,
learned counsel for the parties submitted that they would have no objection if
any retired Judge of this High Court is appointed as the Sole Arbitrator. They
further submit that Hon'ble Mr. Justice Arvind Kumar Verma, who is a retired
Judge of this High Court may be appointed as the Sole Arbitrator.
8. In view of the above consensus between the learned counsel for the parties,
Hon'ble Mr. Justice Arvind Kumar Verma , a retired Judge of this High
Court is appointed to act as the Sole Arbitrator to resolve the dispute involved
in this arbitration request between the parties.
9. The Registry is directed to communicate this order to Hon’ble Mr. Justice
Arvind Kumar Verma in the proper address.
10. The remuneration of the Arbitrator shall be settled with the mutual consent of
the parties.

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11. The arbitration request petition, accordingly, stands allowed .
Sd/-
(Ramesh Sinha)
Chief Justice
Preeti