Bhopal, July 16 -- The Madhya Pradesh high court has stayed a Rs.350-crore tender for supplying uniforms to more than 5.2 million students in government-run primary and middle schools across the state after a local apparel association challenged the eligibility conditions in the bidding process.

The divisional bench of acting chief justice Vivek Rusia and justice Vinay Saraf, hearing the matter on Wednesday, directed the state government to file its reply within a week. "Till then the tender in question will not be finalised," the court said.

A petition was filed by the Jabalpur Apparel Innovation and Manufacturing Association (JAIMA), challenging "restrictive conditions" in the tender document.

Lawyer Vimal Kant Jain, appearing for JA...