JUDGMENT

Manmohan, J. Petitioners have filed the present writ petition seeking a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction to respondent no.1 to issue to the petitioners necessary permissions/approvals/authorisations for direct export or in the alternative, permission/facilitation for canalised export through respondent no.3 of petitioners' share of crude oil extracted from the Rajasthan Block RJ-0N-90/1 (for short "Rajasthan Block"), to the extent not lifted by respondent no. 2 or its nominee Public Sector Undertakings (for short "PSUs").

2. Mr. C.S. Sundaram, learned senior counsel for the petitioners stated that exploration, development and production of crude oil is a highly capital extensive operation. He stated that petitioner nos. 1 and 3 have invested more than rupees thirty thousand crores in the Rajasthan Block and have brought world class technology to India.

3. He stated that today, at the current level of production, approximately sixty to seventy per cent of the price realized from the Rajasthan Block Crude Oil production flows back to the public exchequer in the form of profit petroleum, inter alia through share of Government's nominee, r