What Ails UPPCL? Why Is the Name Of A Debarred Firm Being Kept Under Wraps?

It is indeed ironic that Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL), an entity tasked with illuminating homes across the state of Uttar Pradesh, through its power distribution companies (discoms), appears far less interested in illuminating the public on matters of transparency—particularly when it comes to listing debarred or blacklisted firms on its official platforms.

A prime example is the case of M/s Linkwell Telesystems Private Limited (CIN: U64203TG1993PTC015875), headquartered in Begumpet, Hyderabad. The firm was blacklisted by Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (DVVNL), Agra—one of UPPCL’s own discoms—on December 31, 2024, for serious contractual violations.

As part of the disciplinary action, four performance bank guarantees worth over ₹2.5 crore were invoked and encashed by DVVNL on February 4, 2025, due to the company’s non-performance and breaches of contract terms.

Despite this formal blacklisting, the company has continued to participate in government tenders across sectors, including the fertilizer industry—allegedly by submitting misleading or falsified undertakings. This raises serious red flags, not just regarding breach of tender norms, but also in terms of willful misrepresentation, evasion of regulatory procedures, and potential fraud.

What is even more troubling is the conduct of the UPPCL top management, which took over three months to endorse the debarment order issued by DVVNL. The debarment by UPPCL was finally formalized on March 5, 2025, but the delay raises significant concerns about the urgency and seriousness with which the matter was handled.

Even more concerning is the absence of this debarment notice on the official websites of UPPCL and DVVNL. The omission, whether intentional or negligent, keeps other government bodies in the dark, potentially allowing the blacklisted firm to continue participating in public sector tenders unchecked.

On April 29, 2025, www.indianpsu.com formally brought this issue to the attention of Dr. Ashish Goyal, Chairman of UPPCL, and other top officials of the state’s electricity department. The communication emphasized that failure to make the debarment publicly accessible online undermines transparency and regulatory enforcement and enables the company to operate with impunity.

Yet, to date, UPPCL has not updated its website to reflect the debarment of M/s Linkwell Telesystems Private Limited. Sources within the power corridors suggest the firm is leveraging its influence and financial muscle to seek annulment of the debarment and keep its name off official blacklists—a strategy that appears to be working thus far.

The silence from UPPCL’s top brass, including its Managing Director, on this issue only deepens public suspicion. Is this merely bureaucratic oversight, or is it symptomatic of something far more concerning—a system where accountability is optional, and influence trumps integrity?

Unless immediate corrective steps are taken and the debarment is formally published online, the credibility of UPPCL’s procurement and compliance processes could face serious questions—not just from the public, but from watchdog institutions and enforcement agencies nationwide.

Well, the mystery behind not UPPCL not updating their website continues, till when, perhaps no one knows.

We Report, You Decide…