DEVENDER KUMAR GAUTAM vs UOI

Judgment text excerpt

$~20 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Date of Decision: 15.01.2025 + W.P.(C) 4823/1994, CM APPL. 8703/1994, CM APPL. 5708/1995 & CM APPL. 979/1997 DEVENDER KUMAR GAUTAM .....Petitioner Through: Ms. Shashi Kiran, Sr. Adv. with Ms. Sangeeta Bhalla, Adv. versus UOI .....Respondent Through: Ms. Meera Bhatia, Adv. with Mr. Devender Kumar Gautam HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE TARA VITASTA GANJU TARA VITASTA GANJU, J.: (Oral) 1. The grievance of the Petitioner as articulated in the prayers of the present Petition is that the Petitioner was not allotted a petrol pump by the Respondent No.1. The challenge by the Petitioner was also to a selection board as established by the Respondent No.1 in 1990s. 2. Learned Counsel for the Respondents submits that so far as concerns the prayers in the present Petition, the same have become infructuous. The allotment of petrol pump is now under the purview of Oil Marketing Companies and not under the Respondent No.1/Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. It is further submitted that after the Administered Prising Mechanism (APM) was dismantled on 01.04.2002 by the Respondent No.1, the allotment of marketing and distribution of petrol pumps including that of allotment of retail outlet dealerships has been left to the Oil Marketing Companies and the Respondent No.1/Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed W.P.(C) 4823/1994 Page 1 of 3 By:GEETA JOSHI Signing Date:20.01.2025 16:35:56 has no discretion whatsoever on the allotment of retail outlets like petrol pumps. 3. Learned Counsel for the Respondents further submits that with effect from 09.05.2002, the Dealer Selection Boards (DSBs), which previously existed for selection, were dissolved. 4. Learned Counsel for the Respondents submits thus, that given the pen