JUDGMENT :

SYED SHAH MOHAMMED QUADRI, J.

1. These two writ appeals arise out of the judgment of our learned brother Mr. T.N.C. Rangarajan, J. dated March 23, 1994 in W.P. No. 15441 of 1993. The second respondent in the Writ Petition is the appellant in W.A. No. 343/94 and the first respondent is the appellant in W.A. No. 388/94. As they arise out of the same facts, they are heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment. Hereinafter the parties will be referred to as they are arrayed in the Writ Petition.

2. The first respondent is a State owned Corporation. It is engaged in the - activity of extracting and selling the minerals including Barytes Ore which is a major mineral and is included in Schedule-I to the Mines and Minerals (Regulation & Development) Act, 1951 (for short ‘the Act’). The first respondent issued notification bearing tender No. M-S-II/92-93 inviting tenders which was published in the daily newspaper on August 17, 1993, for sale of 3,00,000 of Barytes Ore per annum loose on ex-Mangampet Barytes mine basis for a period of two years for export. The tenders were to be submitted before 2.00 p.m. on September 8, 1993; they were to be opened on 8-9-1993