MANMOHAN, J :

1. With consent of parties both the writ petitions being W.P.(C) 8415/2009 and 9022/2009 are being disposed of by a common judgment. While W.P.(C) 8415/2009 has been filed in public interest under Article 226 of Constitution challenging the illegal and arbitrary manner in which the affairs of Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (hereinafter referred to as "Board") constituted by the Central Government under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board Act, 2006 (hereinafter referred to "PNGRB Act") are being run by its Chairman, W.P.(C) 9022/2009 has been filed seeking quashing of public notice dated 13th February, 2009 inviting bids from interested parties for development of City Gas Distribution (hereinafter referred to as "CGD") in Ghaziabad and also for quashing of the order/letter dated 19th March, 2009 by virtue of which Indraprastha Gas Limited.s application for authorisation in Ghaziabad has been rejected.

2. Mr. Prashant Bhushan, learned counsel for petitioner in W.P.(C) 8415/2009 submitted that in the absence of non-notification of Section 16 of the PNGRB Act, the Board constituted under the said Act had no power to grant authorisation to e