Judgment

WANCHOO, J. : This is an appeal by special leave against the judgment of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The brief facts necessary for present purposes are these. A notice was issued by the Divisional Forest Officer, Jabalpur Division for auction of various contracts in that division in July 1959. The conditions of the auction specified inter alia (a) that no person would be allowed to bid for any forest contract at the auction unless he had signed the sale notice in token of his agreement to abide by the conditions thereof and deposited a sum of Rs. 500 as earnest money in respect of each forest contract before bidding therefor; (b) that the Divisional Forest Officer reserved to himself the power without assigning any reason to accept the highest or any bid; (c) that the consideration due under a contract was to be payable where it exceeded Rs. 3,000, in four equal instalments, the first instalment being payable immediately at the close of the auction. (d) that the successful bidder had to sign immediately at the close of the auction the bid-sheet for the contract knocked down in his favour, (e) that the sales of contracts beyond the power of sanction of the Divisional Fore