In the High Court of Punjab and Haryana at Chandigarh CWP No. 5038 of 2008 Date of decision: 27.3.2008 Shankar Lal Yadav ......Petitioner Versus Indian Oil Corporation Limited and others .......Respondents CORAM: HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE SURYA KANT HON'BLE MRS. JUSTICE SABINA Present: Mr.Arun Yadav, Advocate, for the petitioner. **** JUDGMENT SURYA KANT, J. Pursuant to some 'understanding' between him and the Indian Oil Corporation Limited, the petitioner is stated to have obtained NOC etc. from the District Administration/Forest Department and other authorities concerned for utilisation of his non agricultural land, located on the National Highway No.8, for installation of a retail outlet. The said retail outlet, however, has now been thrown open for allotment to public by the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. vide advertisement dated 10.9.2007 (Annexure P-8). The petitioner's grievance is that since he has already obtained NOCs in terms of the assurance given to him by the Company vide memo dated 15.9.2002 (Annexure P-1), he alone is CWP No. 5038 of 2008 -2- entitled for allotment of the proposed retail outlet. We do not find any merit in the claim of the petitioner. The respondent-Corporation is a 'public authority' and is obligated to act in consonance with Article 14 of the Constitution. No secret arrangement between the petitioner and the Corporation can be allowed to be acted upon which might be pre-judicial to the claims of other eligible applicants. The petitioner, if so desires, may apply in response to the advertisement (Annexure P-8) and his claim shall also be considered along with other eligible applicants. Petition stands dismissed. (SURYA KANT) JUDGE (SABINA) March 27, 2008 JUDGE anita