ORAL ORDER

1. The petitioner is seeking a direction to the 2^nd respondent to consider his representation dated 21.12.2024 by which he had exercised his right of first refusal and also the representation dated 12.02.2025, copies of which are produced at Annexures-D and F respectively.

2. It is not in dispute that the petitioner was the existing lessee in respect of shop No.8 and this shop was sought to be auctioned for a period of 12 years and as required under the Circular dated 19.07.2019, the petitioner was afforded a right of first refusal. The clause which relates to award of right of first refusal is in the following terms:

“13. ¸ÀAzÀ¨sÀð-03gÀ£ÀéAiÀÄ ¸ÁªÀðd¤PÀ §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ªÀÄÆ®PÀ CAUÀr ªÀĽUÉUÀ¼À£ÀÄß «¯ÉêÁj ªÀiÁqÀĪÁUÀ ºÁ° EgÀĪÀ ªÁtÂdå ¸ÀAQÃtðzÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ ªÉÆzÀ®Ä ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è ¨sÁUÀªÀ»¸ÀĪÀ CxÀªÁ Right of First Refusal £ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉƼÀÄîªÀ ¸ÀA§AzsÀ AiÀiÁªÀÅzÁzÀgÀÄ MAzÀ£ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀÄ F §UÉÎ °TvÀªÁV £ÀUÀgÀ ¸ÀܽÃAiÀÄ ¸ÀA¸ÉÜUÉ ºÀgÁdÄ ¢£ÁAPÀPÉÌ MAzÀÄ ªÁgÀ ªÀÄÄAavÀªÁV w½AiÀÄ¥Àr¸ÀvÀPÀÌzÀÄÝ. ¤UÀ¢üvÀ ¢£ÁAPÀzÉƼÀUÉ °TvÀªÁV w½¸À¢zÀÝ°è CAvÀºÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ Right of First Refusal £ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉƼÀî®Ä CªÀPÁ±À«gÀĪÀÅ¢®è ºÁUÀÆ CAvÀºÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è ¨sÁUÀªÀ»¸ÀÄvÁÛgÉAzÀÄ ¥ÀjUÀt¸À¯ÁUÀĪÀÅzÀÄ. MAzÀÄ ªÉÃ¼É ºÁ° EgÀĪÀ ªÁtÂdå ¸ÀAQÃtðzÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ Right of First Refusal £ÀÄß DAiÉÄÌ ªÀiÁrPÉÆAqÀ°è ¸ÀAzÀ¨sÀð-03gÀ£ÀéAiÀÄ ¸ÁªÀðd¤PÀ §»gÀAUÀ ºÀgÁdÄ ªÀÄÆ®PÀ «¯ÉêÁj ªÀiÁqÀĪÁUÀ CAvÀºÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀjUÉ ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è CAwªÀÄ ©qï ªÉÆvÀÛPÉÌ Right of First Refusal gÀAvÉ ±ÉÃ.5 gÀµÀÄÖ ºÉaÑUÉ ¤UÀ¢ü¥Àr¹ ªÀĽUÉ ¨ÁrUÉUÉ ¥ÀqÉAiÀÄ®Ä CªÀPÁ±À PÀ°à¹PÉÆqÀĪÀÅzÀÄ. ¸ÀzÀj ©qï ªÉÆvÀÛPÉÌ ±ÉÃ.5 gÀµÀÄÖ ºÉaÑUÉ ¤UÀ¢ü¥Àr¹zÀ ©qï ªÉÆvÀÛªÀ£ÀÄß ¥ÁªÀw¹ CAUÀr ¨ÁrUÉ ¥ÀqÉAiÀÄ®Ä ºÁ° EgÀĪÀ ªÁtÂdå ¸ÀAQÃtðzÀ ¨ÁrUÉzÁgÀgÀÄ M¥Àà¢zÀÝ°è ¸ÁªÀiÁ£Àå ºÀgÁdÄ ¥ÀæQæAiÉÄAiÀÄ°è ¨Ás UÀªÀ»¹ AiÀıÀ¹éAiÀiÁzÀ CAwªÀÄ ©qÁÝgÀjUÉ ªÀĽUÉAiÀÄ£ÀÄß ¨ÁrUÉUÉ ¤ÃqÀĪÀÅzÀÄ.”

3. The petitioner exercised his option of right of first refusal and submitted the representation to the Municipal Council on 21.12.2024 vide Annexure-D. In this representation, he categorically stated that he was exercising his right of first refusal in respect of shop No.8 and was intending to participate in the auction. This representation was also acknowledged by the Municipal Council, Belur, on the said day. The auction was thereafter conducted on 02.01.2025.

4. The Municipal Council contends that it had issued a notice 03.02.2025 to the petitioner calling upon him to deposit six months’ rent along with GST within 3 days, failing which the bid would be allotted to the highest bidder.

5. It is the case of the petitioner that although he has given a representation on 21.12.2024 exercising his option of right of first refusal, the moment he received the notice dated 03.02.2025 on 11.02.2025, he once again reiterated his request to permit him to continue to run his business in shop No.8, by submitting another representation dated 12.02.2025 vide Annexure-F, but the Municipal Council did not accede to the same and continued to consider the bid of the highest bidder.

6. As already noticed above, Clause 13 of the Circular dated 19.07.2019 relates to right of first refusal. This clause does not indicate any time frame within which the existing lessee will have to exercise his option and deposit the sum after the auction. In this case, the Municipal Council issued a notice dated 03.02.2025 granting the petitioner only three days time.

7. It is, however, the case of the petitioner that the notice dated 03.02.2025 was received by him only on 11.02.2025 and the petitioner responded to it immediately on 12.02.2025 as per Annexure-F. In my view, since the petitioner was not granted adequate time and given the fact that the petitioner received the notice dated 03.02.2025 only on 11.02.2025, it would be appropriate to direct the Municipal Council to accept the right of first refusal exercised by the petitioner vide Annexure-D and also receive the sums due from