In Brief
The State of Punjab conducted a public auction for suburban land, with Mehar Din submitting the highest bid of Rs. 3,90,000. Although his bid was provisionally accepted and he deposited the required earnest money, the Sales Commissioner subsequently cancelled the bid, deeming the publicity inadequate and the offer insufficient. Following administrative appeals and a High Court decision favouring the bidder, the Supreme Court held that the highest bidder has no vested right to auction completion and that bids remain provisional until confirmed by the competent authority. The Court affirmed that judicial review of auctions should be minimal, with courts only intervening for demonstrated arbitrariness or mala fides, not to second-guess executive judgment on tender requirements.
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