JUDGMENT :

Mr. R.V. Raveendran, J.

At the stage of mentioning, this Court, on 16th December, 2005, directed that until further orders, the contract shall not be awarded to anybody. The Division Bench, in the impugned order dated 12th December, 2005, while declining to interfere with the order of the learned Single Judge in respect of the non-grant of interim relief, requested the learned Single Judge to dispose of the matter within eight weeks which means that the writ petition is likely to be disposed of some time by middle of February, 2006.

2. Having regard to the nature of controversy, we have no doubt that the learned Single Judge will be able to dispose of the writ petition within the time stipulated in the order of the Division Bench. The order that contract shall not be awarded until further orders will continue to operate till the matter is decided by the learned Single Judge. We, however, express no opinion on the merits one way or the other. The matter will be decided in accordance with law.

3. The special leave petitions are, accordingly, disposed of.