JUDGMENT :

1. Heard Mr. F. Khan, the learned counsel for the petitioner in WP(C) No. 2164/2022 and WP(C) No. 2693/2022 as well as Mr. P. K. Bhattacharjee, the petitioner-in-person in WP(C) No.2448/2022. Also heard Mr. P. Nayak, the learned Standing Counsel, Irrigation Department, Assam and Mr. P. Mahanta, the learned counsel appearing on behalf of the respondent Nos. 5 to 8 in WP(C) No.2164/2022.

2. All the three writ petitions relate to the same tender proceedings and as such this Court proposes to dispose of the three writ petitions by this common judgment.

3. The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (for short, NABARD), by a sanction letter dated 15.02.2021, had sanctioned the loan for providing loan assistance under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)-XXVI. The said sanction of the loan was in respect to 23 minor irrigation projects in 15 districts of Assam. In terms with the said sanction letter, the total outlay for the projects in question was Rs.3,500.00 lakh and the loan from NABARD was for Rs.3,325.00 lakh and the State Government was to contribute Rs.175.00 lakh. The period of completion of the projects was 31.03.2024. In the said sanction lett