PRASANTA GOGOI Vs. STATE OF ASSAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Heard Mr. P. J. Saikia, the learned senior counsel assisted by Mr. A. K. Gupta, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner in WP(C) No.1496/2024 and Mr. S. Borthakur, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioners in WP(C) No. 1384/2024 and WP(C) No.1385/2024. Mr. K. P. Pathak, the learned standing counsel appears on behalf of the Excise Department of the Government of Assam and Mr. K. Agarwal, the learned senior counsel assisted by Mr. M. Das, the learned counsel appears on behalf of the private respondents in WP(C) No.1385/2024 and WP(C) No.1496/2024 as well as Mr. N. Deka, the learned counsel appears on behalf of the private respondent in WP(C) No.1384/2024.

(2.) All the three writ petitions are taken up together taking into account that the issues involved in the writ petitions, i.e. WP(C) No. 1384/2024 and WP(C) No.1385/2024 are similar and the issue involved in WP(C) No. 1385/2024 is interconnected with WP(C) No. 1496/2024.

(3.) The material facts which arise for consideration is that a Notice Inviting E-Bids was issued on 29/11/2023 by the District Collector, Tinsukia District thereby inviting shop-wise electronic bids (E-Bids) for grant of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) Retail 'Off' Licenses in the district of Tinsukia at the locations mentioned in the list of shops contained in the E-Bid document.