AWADESH MANI TRIPATHI Vs. UNION OF INDIA (UOI)

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This petition is directed against order dated 16.11.2009 passed by the Division Bench of the Allahabad High Court whereby the writ petition filed by the Petitioner for issue of a mandamus to Respondent Nos. 3 to 5 herein to allot him LPG distributorship at Rudrapur, District Deoria, U.P. The facts which can be culled out from the record of the special leave petition show that in response to an advertisement issued by the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (for short, 'the Corporation') on 24.08.2000, the Petitioner, Kameshwar Singh and others applied for allotment of LPG distributorship at Rudrapur.

(2.) After interviewing the eligible candidates, the Selection Board prepared a merit list in which the name of Kameshwar Singh was shown at No. 1 and that of the Petitioner at No. 2. Accordingly, the LPG distributorship was awarded to Kameshwar Singh.

(3.) The selection made by various Selection Boards generated lot of public debate and allegation of favoritism , nepotism and corruption were leveled against the Chairman and the Members of different Selection Boards. This led to intervention of the then Prime Minister who ordered cancellation of all the allotments.