Irshad Ali, J. - (1.) Heard Sri Ashok Khare, learned senior counsel assisted by Sri Siddharth Khare, learned counsel for the petitioners, Sri Rajesh Kumar Vidyarthi, learned counsel for respondent no.1 and Sri Satish Chaturvedi, learned counsel for the respondent/petitioner.
(2.) The present writ petition has been filed challenging the order dated 25.01.2018 issued by the Deputy General Manager (FI & NF), State Bank of India, Local Head Office, Lucknow with the request to issue a writ of mandamus to accord sanction to renewal of engagement of the petitioners as individual business correspondents by providing them liberty to submit renewal sanction form within the shortest possible time with further prayer not to interfere with the working of the petitioners as individual business correspondents under the respondent bank.
(3.) The brief facts of the case is that the State Bank of India issued a master circular in April, 2009 for engagement of business facilitators and business correspondents in State Bank of India. The circular specified the object as scheme for the financial inclusion by extension of banking service through business facilitators and business correspondents. The objective sought to be achieved was the twin objective of ensuring greater financial inclusion and increasing outreach of the Bank combined with the need to substantial increase the market share of the bank in the rural and semi-urban areas. The aforesaid scheme, envisaged engagement of business facilitators as also business correspondents.;