JUDGMENT :

Both these writ petitions – W.P.[C] no. 2611/2016 and W.P.[C] no. 1966/2017 – have been preferred by the same petitioner in respect of a competitive bidding process initiated by a Notice Inviting Quotations dated 07.02.2014 [‘the 1st NIT, for convenience] in respect of two diversion areas [stone] viz. Kathalguri Stone Quarry Area no. 1 [B] and Kathalguri Stone Quarry Area no. 2 wherein the petitioner had emerged as the sole responsive bidder and the subsequent decision dated 02.01.2015 taken by the Divisional Forest Officer, Nagaon Division, Nagaon [‘the DFO, Nagaon’, for convenience] cancelling the entire process; and thereafter, publication of a subsequent Short Tender Notice for sale of Minor Minerals dated 17.03.2017 [‘the 2nd NIT’, for convenience] in respect of the same two Mining Contract Areas.

2. It may be mentioned that the Mining Contract Area named Kathalguri Stone Quarry Area no. 1 [B] has been renamed as Kathalguri Stone Mahal no. 1 [hereinafter referred to as ‘the Mining Contract Area no. 1, for convenience] at a later point of time and the name of the Mining Contract Area, Kathalguri Stone Quarry Area no. 2 has been changed to Kathalguri Stone Mahal no. 2 [