( 1 ) THE Writ Appeal is directed against the judgment and order of the learned Single judge dated 4-4-2000 made in Writ Petition no. 248 of 2000 dismissing the writ petition. The factual background for filing this writ appeal be noted first. As directed by the court, learned Senior Standing Counsel for central Government produced the entire original records of the case for our perusal, and accordingly we perused the same. The facts stated hereinbelow are the facts gathered by us from the original records and the documents filed by the parties in this case.

( 2 ) THE appellant No. 1 is a private limited company and is a registered Government contractor engaged, inter alia, in the business of Civil and Construction works. Appellant No. 2 is the Managing Director of appellant No. l. The respondent Nos. l to 4 are the authorities in the Ministry of defence, and who are the relevant authorities responsible for taking a decision with regard to the matter in issue in the writ appeal. Respondent No. l is the Union of india represented by its Secretary; respondent No. 2 is the Engineer-in-Chief, engineer-in-Chief s Branch, New Delhi; respondent No. 3 is the Chief Engineer (