IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATE OF TELANGANA AT HYDERABAD THE HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE SRI APARESH KUMAR SINGH AND THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE G.M.MOHIUDDIN WRIT APPEAL No.218 of 2026 DATE: 06.04.2026 Between:

The Territory Manager, BPCL (Retail), Nizamabad (Retail) Territory and another ….Appellants And Union of India and 2 others ….Respondents

JUDGMENT

Heard Sri Aruva Raghu Mahadev, learned counsel for the appellants; Sri N.Bhujanga Rao, learned Deputy Solicitor General of India appearing for respondent No.1 and Sri Rajkumar Pulipaka, learned counsel appearing for respondent No.2 and perused the record.

2. This writ appeal, preferred under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent, assails the interim order dated 31.12.2025 passed by the learned Single Judge in I.A.No.2 of 2025 in W.P.No.40512 of 2025. By the said order, the learned Single Judge directed the parties to maintain status quo with respect to the operation and management of the Vemulawada Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)

Company Owned Company Operated (COCO) Retail Outlet.

3. The appellants herein were the respondents in the underlying writ petition, and the 2^nd respondent herein was the writ petitioner.

Factual matrix (in brief)

4. The 2^nd respondent (writ petitioner) was initially engaged as a Service Provider for COCO Retail Outlet of the appellant Corporation situated at Vemulawada, Rajanna Sircilla District, Telangana, pursuant to a Letter of Intent dated 10.12.2022, followed by a Letter of Appointment dated 23.12.2022. In terms thereof, the 2nd respondent commenced operations w.e.f., 01.01.2023.

5. The engagement was for a fixed tenure of three (3) years commencing from 01.01.2023 and ending on 31.12.2025. Clause 1 of the said Letter of Appointment specifically provided that the contract shall remain in force for a period of three years and that any renewal and/or extension thereof shall be solely at the discretion of the appellant Corporation and subject to such terms as may be deemed fit.

6. In compliance with the contractual conditions, the 2^nd respondent furnished a Bank Guarantee for a sum of Rs.29,00,000/- (Rupees Twenty-Nine Lakhs only), valid up to 21.06.2026.

7. Upon the impending expiry of the said contractual tenure on 31.12.2025, the appellant Corporation issued a fresh advertisement dated 12.07.2025 inviting applications for engagement of a Service Provider for the very same outlet at Vemulawada, following the guidelines dated 15.12.2023.

8. The 2^nd respondent, being desirous of continuing as Service Provider, submitted his application. The selection process, was based on four distinct parameters, viz., Age (25 marks), Educational Qualification (25 marks), Financial Capability (30 marks), and Personal Interview (20 marks) aggregating to a total of 100 marks.

9. Upon completion of the selection process, the Provisional Merit Panel was published on 12.11.2025, which showed the 2^nd respondent secured an aggregate score of 75.56 marks. In contrast, the successful candidate, namely Mr. Kolugoori Madhu, secured 94.67 marks and was placed at Rank No.1. Consequently, the appellant Corporation issued a Letter of Intent dated 19.12.2025 in favour of the said selected candidate for engagement as Service Provider.

10. Aggrieved by his non-selection, the 2^nd respondent invoked the grievance redressal mechanism provided under Clause 19 of the applicable brochure/guidelines by submitting a representation dated 28.11.2025, inter alia contending that his age had not been properly reckoned, and his financial capability had not been fully assessed by taking into account the subsisting Bank Guarantee. The said representation is extracted hereunder:

Date of submission : 28-11-2025 To The Territory Manager Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited Nizamabad Retail Territory Subject: Representation under Clause 19 - Request for Re-evaluation of Marks for COCO Selection (BP Vemulawada) held on 12-11-2025 Respected Sir, I, Mushikam Ranjeeth Kumar, presently serving as the Service Provider