S.J. Vazifdar, J.

The petitioners seek an order quashing the grant of a mining lease in favour of respondent No. 3-Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) a public sector undertaking under the control and management of respondent No. 1-State of Haryana. Respondent No. 2 is the Director, Mines and Geology, Haryana.

The petitioners also seek a writ of mandamus directing respondent Nos. 1 and 2 to rescind the auction of twelve stone mines held on 31.12.2013 and to re-conduct the auction alongwith an auction of the mine at Khanak the mining rights whereof were granted in favour of the HSIIDC.

2. The case in nut-shell is this. A Letter of Intent was issued by respondent No. 2-Director, Department of Mines and Geology, Haryana in favour of the petitioners accepting the petitioners' bid of Rs. 1.15 crores per annum entitling the petitioners to undertake the mining in respect of an area of 55.50 hectares. A lease in this regard was executed for a period of 10 years for an amount of Rs. 1.15 Crores per annum as the annual dead rent which was to be increased at 25% on completion of each block of three years. At the same time, respondent No. 1 grant