PRACHAR COMMUNICATION LIMITED Vs. BHARAT SANCHAR NIGAM LIMITED

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner has filed the present petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India impugning the Show Cause Notice dated 14.06.2016 (hereafter "the SCN") issued by the respondent (hereafter "BSNL") and the order dated 18.07.2016 (hereafter "the impugned order") passed by the BSNL blacklisting the petitioner for a period of five years from the date of the said order.

(2.) The petitioner has assailed the impugned order principally on the ground that it has been passed in violation of principles of natural justice. The petitioner alleges that it was not afforded any meaningful opportunity to respond to the allegations on the basis of which the petitioner has been blacklisted. The petitioner claims that the SCN falls short of the requisite standards, as it neither provides any particulars of the allegations nor puts the petitioner to notice of the proposed action to blacklist it.

(3.) Briefly stated, the relevant facts necessary to address the aforesaid controversy are as under:-