JUDGMENT

WA.27/2020, WA.49/2020, WA.58/2020, WA.69/2020, WA.70/2020, WA.86/2020, WA.87/2020, WA.88/2020, WA.89/2020, WA.92/2020, WA.95/2020, WA.122/2020, WA.138/2020, WA.154/2020,WA.155/2020,WA.157/2020, WA.159/2020, WA.170/2020,WA.172/2020,WA.173/2020, WA.183/2020, WA.256/2020,WA.266/2020,WA.296/2020, WA.326/2020, WA.327/2020 -----------------------------------------------

Dated this the 5th day of March, 2020 S. Manikumar, CJ All these appeals arise out of dismissal of writ petitions filed seeking No Objection Certificates for starting petroleum retail outlets. Common judgment has been passed mainly placing reliance on IRC guidelines for access, location and layout of roadside fuel stations and service stations prescribed by Indian Roads Congress (IRC).

2. Facts in brief are as follows:

For obtaining licence for establishing petroleum retail outlets, No Objection Certificate of the District Authority under Rule 144 of the Petroleum Rules, 2002, framed under the Petroleum Act, 1934 is a mandatory prerequisite. The issue involved is whether NOC for establishing petroleum outlets could be denied on the ground that the proposed site for the retail outlet is not conforming to the Guideli