In Brief
ONGC invited competitive bids for natural gas allocation. The original writ applicant (Nobel Cera Coat) initially offered to lift gas within 75 days. During High Court proceedings of the writ petition, it reduced this to 65 days, matching another applicant's offer. The High Court granted the writ applicant's request by directing ONGC to finalize the contract at 65 days. The Supreme Court quashed this order, holding that the High Court's procedure was legally unsustainable. The other applicants were not impleaded as parties, and permitting one applicant to modify its offer without giving others an equal opportunity violated natural justice. The matter was remitted to the High Court for fresh decision after proper impleading of all applicants.
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