Kolkata, Sept. 30 -- A renewed licence to manufacture blood products cannot be relied upon to qualify for a government tender while approval of the Central Licence Approving Authority remains pending, the Calcutta High Court has held.
Justice Krishna Rao dismissed a petition by Ichor Biologics Private Limited challenging rejection of its technical bid in a Bengal government tender for collecting excess or surplus screened Fresh Frozen Plasma from Blood Component Separation Units attached to state government blood centres.
The company's earlier manufacturing licence was valid till March 31, 2026. It applied for renewal in November 2025. The State Licensing Authority renewed it in Form 26-I on June 22, 2026, with effect from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2031.
However, the renewal was forwarded to the Central Licence Approving Authority for approval, which remained pending. The company's technical bid was marked 'Not Qualified Technically' on July 24.
The state said the licence lacked approval of the central authority, an essential requirement.
Examining the Drugs Rules, 1945, the court held that the Central Licence Approving Authority is the decision-making authority for granting or renewing such licences.
The State Licensing Authority verifies the application, conducts the required inspection and, if satisfied, forwards its report and licence to the central authority.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.