JUDGMENT

Dr. Arijit Pasayat, J. —

1. Leave granted.

Challenge in this appeal is to the order of a Division Bench of the Patna High Court dismissing the Letters Patent appeal filed by the appellant.

2. Background facts in a nutshell are as follows :

On 1.9.2000, the Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (in short the ‘IOC’) issued advertisement inviting applications for appointment of a dealer in respect of certain retail outlets (petrol pumps) in various places including one in Brahampur in State of Bihar. The appellant was one of the applicants. The applications were verified by IOC and the applications of all the eligible candidates were forwarded to the Dealer Selection Board (in short the ‘DSB’) for making selection. The DSB issued interview letters to all those candidates who were found eligible. It considered the materials placed before it by the applicants and produced during interviews, and on the basis of the interview allegedly prepared a select list on merits in the following order :

1. Smt. Poonam Kumari-Appellant,

2. Shri Dinesh Kumar Singh; and

3. Shri Anil Kumar.

On being placed at no.1 in the Select List, a letter of Intent was issued on 8.11.2001 and the necessary order