JUDGMENT

Jyotsna Rewal Dua, J. - The respondent/Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited, has rejected the candidature of the petitioner for the allotment of Rural Retail Outlet (Petrol Pump) under Group-I at Village Sadwankhas to Suliali, Tehsil Nurpur, District Kangra (H.P.), vide communication dated 17.05.2019. Feeling aggrieved, the petitioner has preferred the instant writ petition.

2. Necessary facts may be noticed hereinafter:-

2(i). Respondents-Corporation had issued an advertisement on 25.11.2018, inviting online applications for Regular/ Rural Petroleum Retail Outlet dealerships for various places within the State of Himachal Pradesh, wherein, one of the places was Village Suliali, Tehsil Nurpur, District Kangra. The last date for submissions of online applications was 24.12.2018.

2(ii). Under clause 4(v) of the Brochure issued by the respondents for selection of dealers for Regular/Rural Retail Outlets, the applicants could be classified into following three groups based on the land offered by them in the application form:-

"Group 1: Applicants having suitable piece of land in the advertised location/area either by way of ownership/ long term lease for a period of minimum 19