The 1,800 square-foot Rouse Avenue Delhi office basement space would be used for the welfare of lawyers and law students, the BCI set out in a tender notice that was published on its website on 16 April. The application deadline was set for four days later, 20 April, requiring a refundable “earnest money” deposit of Rs 1 lakh.

The winning NGO, organisation, institution or individual would be awarded a 25-year contract with the BCI to develop the basement, renewable at the BCI’s discretion.

From the tender it appears that the winner would receive “maintenance charges” of at least Rs 50 per square foot, which would work out to Rs 90,000, although the notice did not specify whether this was a monthly or annual payment.

The invitation for tenders stated:

Tenders/Offers under the sealed cover are invited from the intending NGOs/Organizations/Institutions/Individuals for opening Law Library-cum-Law Book Cafe, Legal Aid Centre, exhibitions for works concerning legal profession and legal education in the vacant basement of Bar Council of India office (measuring about 1800 Sq. Feet).

The applicants would be required to develop the space which may incur even a sum of Rs. 5,000/- per Sq. Feet (approximately) for its development. The space is to be used only for the welfare of the lawyers and the law students. The minimum offer for maintenance charges for the space would be Rs. 50/- per Sq. Feet. The Space is to be allotted for a period of 25 years renewable at the discretion of the Bar Council of India.

The intending applicants are to make their own offers, terms and purpose, which, if found suitable and in the interest of the Council, could be preferred by the Council. The applications for the purpose is to be submitted to the Secretary, Bar Council of India accompanied with Earnest Money of Rs. 1,00,000/- (Rupees one lakh only).

It is made clear that the applicants whose application/terms are not found suitable, would get their Earnest Money (Bank Draft) (deposit with the Bar Council of India) returned within a period of three (3) days from the date of finalization of the allotment.

The applicants are to give the details of their requirement and offers along with their applications. The final terms of Bar Council of India in its MoU would be binding on the parties.

It is understood that the BCI received up to four tenders for the project, according to a person with knowledge of the process.

Last year the regulator rejected all four organisations that tendered applications to conduct the fourth All India Bar Examination (AIBE-IV), including its prevoius AIBE-partner, choosing to run with new independent contractor ITES Horizon after the exam had already been delayed by three months.

The BCI has also scheduled the fifth AIBE (AIBE-V) for 14 July 2013, with the application process set to begin on Sunday 28 April 2013.