S.B.SINHA, J.

1. This writ petition has been filed on behalf of the petitioner for issuance of a writ of or in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents to forbear from coerceing the petitioner to obtain licence in terms of the provisions of Bihar Agricultural Produce Market Act, 1970 (hereinafter to be referred to as the Act for the sake of brevity), as also for issuance of appropriate writ for quashing the order dated 22-5-1987 as contained in Annexure-2 to the writ petition (wrongly mentioned as Annexure-1 in the writ petition) as also the order passed by the respondent No. 2 as incorporated in its letter dated 29-5-1988 written to the petitioner in Annexure-7 to the writ petition.

2. The petitioner is a Government Company within the meaning of sec. 617 of the Companies Act and carries on business in manufacture of iron and steel. The petitioner own various mines and steel plants. One of the steel plants of the petitioner-Company is situate at Bokaro Steel City, commonly known as Bokaro Steel Plant.

3. According to the petitioner it purchases wood which is used in the Plant for incidental purposes, i.e. for bracing or laying tracks etc.

4. For the purpose of purch