IN THE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA AT BENGALURU DATED THIS THE 18^TH DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2026 PRESENT THE HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA WRIT APPEAL NO. 1596 OF 2024 (GM-RES)

BETWEEN:

1. INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LTD.

MYSORE DIVISIONAL OFFICE NO.36/A, 1^ST FLOOR, B.N. ROAD MYSORE TRADE CENTER OPP. KSRTC BUS STAND MYSORE - 570 001 REPRESENTED BY ITS AUTHORISED REPRESENTATIVE …APPELLANT (BY SRI VACHAN H.U., ADVOCATE)

AND:

Digitally signed by VEERENDRA 1. B.V. LAKSHMIDEVAMMA KUMAR K M W/O S.M. THIMMAIAH Location:

AGED ABOUT 47 YEARS High Court of Karnataka R/AT #6, OPP. 1479, 2^ND CROSS

8^TH A MAIN, 1^ST PHASE, 5^TH STAGE BEML LAYOUT RAJARAJESHWARI NAGARA BANGALORE - 560 098 …RESPONDENT (BY SRI SUNIL S. RAO, ADVOCATE)

THIS WRIT APPEAL IS FILED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE KARNATAKA HIGH COURT ACT PRAYING TO QUASH THE IMPUGNED JUDGEMENT DATED 25/07/2024 PASSED BY A SINGLE BENCH OF HON'BLE HIGH COURT OF KARNATAKA IN W.P.NO.1771/2024 (GM-RES) AND ETC.

THIS APPEAL, COMING ON FOR PRELIMINARY HEARING, THIS DAY, JUDGMENT WAS DELIVERED THEREIN AS UNDER:

CORAM: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE and HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE C.M. POONACHA

ORAL JUDGMENT

(PER: HON'BLE MR. VIBHU BAKHRU, CHIEF JUSTICE)

1. For the reasons stated in the application—I.A.No.3/2024, the same is allowed, and the delay in filing the appeal is condoned.

2. The appellant, Indian Oil Corporation Limited [IOCL], has preferred the present appeal impugning an order dated 25.07.2024 [impugned order], NC:2024:KHC:29548 passed by the learned Single Judge of this Court in W.P.No.1771/2024 (GM-RES).

3. The respondent had filed the said writ petition seeking setting aside of the endorsement communicated by an email dated 30.12.2023, whereby the respondent was informed that she had

been found to be ineligible for RO-dealership on the basis of the documents submitted by her, for the reason that there was a mismatch in the PAN number.

4. The learned Single Judge found that the mismatch in the PAN number was due to a typographical error and therefore set aside the respondent's rejection on that ground.

PREFATORY FACTS

5. IOCL had proposed to appoint retail outlet dealers at various locations in the State of Karnataka and thus invited applications for the same. The notice published in newspapers also stated that a detailed advertisement and brochure were published on IOCL's website www.petrolpumpdealerchayan.in>. The last date for submitting applications was 27.09.2023.

6. The respondent belongs to the SC & ST category and filed an online application under that category. She claims that she also submitted copies of various documents, including her PAN card, as attachments to her application.

7. IOCL conducted a draw of lots on 12.12.2023 to select the successful candidate for the grant of a retail sales outlet (RO-

dealership) on State Highway 33 (SH-33), near Priyadarshini College of Pharmacy, Koratagere, to Koratagere Government Hospital, Tumakuru. The respondent was successful in the draw of lots, and IOCL informed the respondent by email dated

13.12.2023.

8. The respondent states that after she was declared successful in the draw of lots, she uploaded all her documents, including PAN card, on 22.12.2023. Thereafter, she also received a link to make a payment towards the initial non-refundable security deposit. However, on 30.12.2023, the respondent received the impugned communication informing that her candidature had been rejected.

9. The facts in the present case are not in dispute. There is no dispute that the respondent filled up her PAN number as 'BEWPL2832K' instead of 'BFWPL2832K', in her application, which was filed online. The respondent had incorrectly entered the letter 'E' in her PAN number instead of 'F'. She claimed that the same was due to oversight and typographical and clerical error on her part in filling out the form.

10. IOCL claims that the mismatch in the PAN number is a non- curable defect and, therefore, the said error was fatal to the respondent's ap