JUDGMENT :

MANISH CHOUDHURY, J.

1. Both the writ petitions are preferred by the same set of petitioners, 10 in nos. by stating that they are espousing common cause. In the writ petition, W.P. (C) No. 4388/2018, filed first in point of time, the writ petitioners have assailed an advertisement dated 12.06.2018 published by the respondent Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) for selection of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) distributorships for 66 nos. of locations in the entire State of Assam, more particularly, in respect of the LPG distributorship for Village-Alimur, Subansiri Gaon Panchayat under Ghilamara Development Block and Dhakuakhana Sub-Division, District-Lakhimpur. After the selection of successful candidate has been made pursuant to the advertisement dated 12.06.2018, the writ petition, W.P. (C) No. 6700/2018 has been filed assailing selection of the beneficiary by impleading the selected candidate as the respondent no. 5 at first but later on, by impleading as the respondent no. 6.

2. The relevant background facts leading to the institution of the two writ petitions may be