The parties as well as the subject matter of the dispute in these Writ Petitions are common. As such, they are heard and being disposed of together.

Introduction:

The petitioner in these Writ Petitions is the South Central Railway Caterers, Dry Fruits, Fruit Juice Stalls Welfare Association, Warasiguda, Secunderabad. W.P.No.14577/2013 is filed on behalf of the members of the petitioner-Association running canteens in 25 Railway Stations of the Vijayawada Division. W.P.No.14888/2013 is filed by the members of the petitioner-Association running catering stalls and fruit juice stalls in 29 Railway Stations of the Vijayawada Division. W.P.No.15072/2013 is filed on behalf of the members of the petitioner-Association running catering and other stalls in various Railway Stations of the Guntakal Division.

The Facts:

The members of the petitioner-Association were granted licences for running General Minor Units (GMUs) or Special Minor Units (SMUs), as the case may be, in Categories A, B and C Railway Stations. The said licences were granted prior to the creation of the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited (IRCTC) under the Catering Policy 2005 (for short “the 200