JUDGMENT :

Rongon Mukhopadhyay, J.

Heard Mr. S.D. Sanjay, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioners and Mr. Tushar Mehta, learned Solicitor General of India appearing for the respondents.

2. In this writ application, the petitioners have prayed for quashing of the Commercial Circular No. 24/2023 dated 14.11.2023 issued by the respondent-Railway Board, Ministry of Railways, Government of India, New Delhi whereby addendum to Catering Policy 2017-Para 1 & Para 3 of Catering Policy 2017 has been issued contrary to the object and spirit of the Catering Policy, 2017. The petitioners have also prayed for quashing of the notice inviting e-Open Tender bearing e-Open Tender No. 2024/IRCTC/P&T/Cluster/FEB/EZ/SER/CLT/B-7 whereby e-Open Tender for provision of on board catering services in trains for the period of five years further extendable up to two years for category of Cluster-Category ‘B’ floated by the respondent-IRCTC for which the last date and time for submission of Bid is 22.02.2024, 12:00 hrs. and the date and time of opening of Technical Bid is 22.02.2024 at 15:15 hrs. The petitioners have further prayed for quashing of the notice inviting e-Open Tender bearing e-Open Tender No. 202