( 1 ) PETITIONER is an ex-serviceman, who retired on 2nd January, 1984 as Sq. Leader from Indian Air Force when he was 42 years of age. It is a common case of the parties that respondent no. 2, as a measure of rehabilitation, has formulated a policy reserving 7. 5 percent of the Oil Product agencies namely, LPG, Petrol Pumps and kerosene oil agencies, to certain categories of defence personnel. It is one of the various schemes for resettlement of retired service personnel because persons belonging to defence services normally retire at comparatively younger age and much earlier than the retirement age prescribed for civil services.

( 2 ) IN accordance with the aforesaid policy Indian Oil Corporation (hereinafter referred to as IOC, for short)/respondent no. 4 herein issued an advertisement in October 1985 inviting applications for award of LPG dealership at various locations from the candidates belonging to following categories under the defence quota. :-

A. Defence personnel who are permanently and severely disabled either in war or on military duty during peace time.

B. Widows and motherless dependents of defence personnel whose husbands/guardians were killed while on m