JUDGMENT

B.P. DAS, J. : The petitioner, Geomin Minerals & Marketing (P) Ltd. which is a Company incorporated under the Indian Compa¬nies Act, 1956, has filed this writ petition, inter alia with the following prayers:

“Order the opposite parties to dispose of all pending applications for Mineral Concessions filed by the petitioner and set out in the petition in accordance with its vested right to preferential consideration in view of the fact that the petition¬er’s applications have been filed on the first date of availabil¬ity and eligibility.

Issue a writ of prohibition or any other appropriate writ, order or direction restraining the opposite parties from consid¬ering applications for Mineral Concessions of later applicants to the petitioner until the applications of the petitioner are first considered and disposed of by according priority or preferential right based on the petitioner being a first day applicant having applied for the concerned Mineral Concessions set out in the petition on the first date of availability and eligibility.”

2. The facts of the case are given hereinbelow:-

2.1 On 29.10.1991, the petitioner-company filed several application for grant of Prospecting