JUDGMENT :

MURALI PURUSHOTHAMAN, J.

1. The petitioners are contractors supplying pooja and other materials to various temples under the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for the last more than 5 years. The TDB issued Ext.P1 E-Tender notification for auctioning the ‘kuthaka avakasham’ (exclusive right) to sell pooja/other items at different temples under the jurisdiction of Pathanamthitta Deputy Devaswom Commissioner for the financial year 2020-2021. The petitioners participated in the tender and submitted their bids for their respective items along with the required Earnest Money Deposit (EMD). Going by the averments in the writ petition, the respective bids submitted by the petitioners were accepted and the respondents finalized the tender concerned in their favour. As per the tender conditions, each of the petitioners remitted 50% of the respective bid amount. However, they could not supply the materials to the temple as per the tender for the period from 01.04.2020 since temples were closed on directions from Government on the outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic. Therefore, the petitioners submitted representations before the TDB requesting to extend the term of contract for the next fina