JUDGMENT

1. The present batch of petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution of India has been filed inter alia seeking the following reliefs:

a. to declare the Clause No. 11 of the Commercial Circular No. 20 of 2017 dated 27.02.2017 (“Catering Policy 2017”) issued by Railway Board as illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional, null and void-ab-initio.

b. to declare impugned Licence Agreement executed between petitioner and concerned respondent as illegal, arbitrary, unconstitutional, null and void-ab-initio and also set aside the License Agreement as regards its tenure is concern;

c. a direction to the respondents to renew the license of the petitioners’ catering units in terms of judgment passed by Supreme Court of India South Central Railways v. S.C.R.

Caterers, Dry Fruits, Fruit Juice Stalls Welfare Assn.1;

d. a direction to the respondents to extend the benefit of extension of license period to the petitioners in proportionate to the reduced license fee during the Covid-19 pandemic period and as per the benefit given to other units.

2. Briefly stated, the facts are that the respondents under the Catering Policy 2017 had floated tenders for allotment of Catering Units (Special and Gener