The petitioner has come up with the present writ petition, challenging the decision taken by the Gas Linkage Committee for the allocation of natural gas to a set of consumers.

2. I have heard Mr.Vijay Narayan, learned Senior Counsel for the petitioner, Mr.J.Ravindran, learned Assistant Solicitor General, for respondents 1 and 2 and Mr.J.Srinivasa Mohan, learned counsel for the third respondent.

3. The third respondent herein issued a notice dated 111. 2003, inviting applications from interested natural gas consumers, for the allocation of natural gas on fall back basis, from the gas installation of ONGC in Ramnad zone. The petitioner, which was in the process of setting up a 4 Star Hotel in Chennai and which had an estimated power requirement in the range of 3 to 4 MW, made an application on 12. 2003 in response to the said notice, for the allotment of 30,000-40,000 SCMD of natural gas for generation of power continuously for a minimum period of 10 years.

4. It appears that 46 applications were received in response to the above notice, with a total requirement of 12 MMSCMD, though the notice indicated only a quantity of 1 MMSCMD (million standard cubic meters), as avail