Indian printing firm debunks ‘blacklisting’ claim

Madras Security Printers Private Limited (MSP), a India-based printing technology company bidding for the Social Security System’s (SSS) unified multi-purpose identification (UMID) cards, on Monday debunked claims that it has been blacklisted to bid for government projects in India.

Headquartered in Chennai, India, the company said in a statement that it has never been debarred/blacklisted by any government agency including the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). This is contrary to an earlier published report quoting a Philippine-based NGO stating that the firm has been banned in its own country. 

“In fact we are currently doing UIDAI enrolments for various projects and are one of the largest enrolment agencies of the UIDAI for the National Population Register and various other government projects,” said Asir Ratan Singh, MSP director.

Earlier, a self-styled NGO called Action for Consumerism and Transparency for Nation Building (ACTION), claimed that MSP is barred from participating in biddings in its own country. It questioned the firm’s qualification for the SSS UMID bidding, stating that an Indian court has blacklisted the firm.

Debunking such claims, MSP said the judge of the Patna High Court has clearly noted that “mere non-renewals of empanelment of the appellant by the UIDAI as an enrolled agency would not amount to debarment or blacklisting. We are also of the opinion that it was not sufficient for the State Government to rely upon the materials; more particularly, when such materials were brought to the notice of the State Government by the rival bidders. Mere non-renewal of its empanelment as an enrolled agency would not not suit the appellant from competing in the selection process.”

“The news article published against MSP is clearly a futile attempt by a competitor who is using cooked-up and false propaganda to try to damage the reputation of a reputable Indian company,” Singh said, adding that MSP was also at the receiving end of such false accusations in another country in the past.

MSP stressed that it is a pioneer in Security Printing Services and implementation of e-Governance projects for over 25 years. “Due to our successful track record, we have been able to receive continuous orders from multiple Government Agencies for several Secure Identity Card and System Integration Projects. In addition, we have also received an e-India award for the Tamil Nadu Health Insurance Project implemented and completed by us,” the company said. 

To date, the company has at least 10 projects in the pipeline which includes the UIDAI enrolment for the Prestigious National Population Register Project and the Issuance of Multi-National Identity Cards of the Republic of India; the electoral photo identity cards/voter ID cards for the Electoral Commission of India – for several states in India; the Smart Driving Licenses and Registration Certificates for the Department of Transport Management, Government of Nepal and various visa and master debit and credit cards for various government owned banks of India.