All the planned venues will be set up for tonight's Valletta-wide Notte Bianca following a court's rejection yesterday of a request by two companies to stop lighting and sound contracts from being issued.

There had been fears that six events might have to be cancelled following an application submitted by Nexos and Co. Ltd and DJS Trading Ltd Consortium for an injunction against the Malta Council for Culture and the Arts, after the companies were excluded from tendering for some of the activities.

The companies had submitted one bid to provide services for 36 activities but the council had requested bids for each activity separately. The tender was thus rendered null with the council saying it did not conform to regulations.

The consortium objected, arguing the council planned to issue direct orders, which went against public contract regulations. The two companies called on the courts to prohibit the council from granting a number of contracts for the provision of sound and lighting equipment for the event.

Mr Justice Joseph Azzopardi yesterday said that the companies' claim did not satisfy the law for the purpose of enforcing the provisional warrant issued earlier this week.

The judgment followed a decision on Thursday by the General Contracts Committee which found in favour of the MCCA, saying it was correct to have disqualified the tender.

However, an appeal before the Public Contracts Appeal Board is still pending and the companies' lawyers said after yesterday's hearing that this should have taken precedence and the warrant upheld. The appeal will be heard after Notte Bianca has taken place.

Lawyers Professor Ian Refalo and Mark Bencini appeared for the council. Lawyers Chris Cardona, Reuben Farrugia and Edward Zammit Lewis appeared for the companies.

The government yesterday encouraged the public to attend the event - if possible wearing white - and to appreciate local talent at its best.