JUDGMENT

KASLIWAL, J.:—Special leave granted in S.L.P. (Civil) No. 10124 of 1989. This appeal by special leave has been filed by Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (herein referred to as the Corporation) against the judgment of the Bombay High Court dated 6th July, 1989. The Corporation took steps under the Petroleum and Minerals Pipeline (Acquisition of Right of User in Land) Act, 1962 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) for laying down pipelines for a project called the Bombay-Pune pipeline project. One Mrs. A. R. Gadre, Special Land Officer in the office of Competent Authority was appointed as competent authority by the Government of India vide Notification No. P-.32115/2/87 dated 6-6-1988. Shri Yashwant Gajanan Joshi, respondent No. 1 filed a petition u /Art. 226 of the Constitution of India in the Bombay High Court for removal of Mrs. Gadre as competent authority on the ground that she was an employee of the corporation and was biased against him. The Bombay High Court held that in the instant case the proprietary rights of the petitioner (Shri Yashwant Gajanan) were affected by laying down of pipes by the Corporation. The petitioner was claiming compensation and such co