ORDER :

All these writ petitions have been filed with prayer to quash allotments, of following retail sale outlets for petroleum products (for short “outlet”), made by respondents No. 2 and 3 (for short “IOC”):

(i) in favour of respondents No.4 and 5 (for short “Agro Industries”) at Village Bohan, Tehsil Jawalamukhi, District, Kangra Himachal Pradesh in CWP No. 3338 of 2020 and CWP No. 4239 of 2020.

(ii) In favour of Shri. Satwant Singh (Respondent No. 4) in CWP 2703 of 2020 in Mohal Thara, Sub Tehsil Dulehar, District Una, Himachal Pradesh

2. Petitioners in CWP No.4239 of 2020 and CWP. 2703 of 2020 themselves are retail outlet dealers of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), whereas petitioner in CWP No.3338 of 2020 has filed the petition as pro bono publico.

3. Since common questions of facts and law are involved in all the petitions, therefore, these were heard together and are being disposed of by a common judgment.

4. The common case of the petitioners in all the petitions is that the allotment of outlets by IOC in favour of Agro Industries and Shri Satwant Singh are in violation of the guidelines framed by Indian Roads Congress (IRC) and Ministry of Road Transport and H