By means of this writ petition, moved under Article 226 of Constitution of India, the petitioners have sought writ in the nature of mandamus directing the respondent No. 2 to recall its decision awarding the contract for preparing Smart Card based driving licenses and vehicle registration certificates to respondent No. 3 i.e. HILTRON, a public sector undertaking, which has entered into contract with respondent No. 4 to get the work done. Further mandamus has been sought directing the respondents No. 1 and 2 to call an open tender bidding for awarding the contract for aforesaid purpose.

2. Heard learned counsel for the parties and perused the affidavits, counter affidavits and rejoinder affidavits, filed by the parties.

3. Brief facts of the case are that in July 2000, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (for short MORTH), Government of India, felt need to modernize the age old manual system of maintaining State Registers and records in the transport sector in order to prevent mal practices in the various Regional Transport Offices of the country. The Government of India, constituted a committee with members from National Informatic Centre (for short NIC) and Ministry of