JUDGMENT

V. Gopala Gowda, J.

Leave granted in all the Special Leave Petitions.

2. The present appeals were listed together as a common question of law arises in all of them for consideration before this Court.

3. For the sake of convenience, reference is made to the facts of the appeals arising out of SLP (C) Nos. 9924-9925 of 2013, which have been directed against the impugned final judgment and orders dated 20.11.2012 and 20.12.2012 passed in RFA No. 66 of 2000 and MC No. 3472 of 2012 respectively, by the Gauhati High Court at Guwahati.

The facts of the case which are required to appreciate the rival legal contentions advanced on behalf of the parties are stated in brief as under:

On 31.03.1992, the respondent-Assam State Electricity Board (hereinafter referred to as the "Electricity Board") placed an order for supply of Aluminium Electrical Conductors from the appellants-M/s Shanti Conductors Pvt. Ltd. for a total consideration of Rs. 1.22 crores. The supplies were to be made between June and December, 1992. On 13.05.1992, another order was placed by the Electricity Board to M/s Shanti Conductors for the supply of various types of conductors for a total consideration of Rs. 32.49 lacs