Debangsu Basak, J. - (1.) Two writ petitions have been heard on November 20, 2020 and December 3, 2020 and the judgment in respect thereof was reserved on December 3, 2020. Since the issues involved in the two writ petitions are same, both the writ petitions are being disposed of by this common judgment and order.
(2.) The petitioners have assailed the government order dated August 7, 2019 and any consequential order pursuant thereto including the order dated November 22, 2019. For the sake of convenience, the facts situation obtaining in WPO 359 of 2020 are adumbrated.
(3.) Learned senior advocate appearing for the petitioners has contended that, the state invited applications for filling up of the vacancies of distributorship at Minakhan Block under Basirhat subdivision in the district of North 24 Parganas by a memo dated July 11, 2018 published in the official Gazette on July 23, 2018. The first petitioner had submitted its application against such vacancy notice. By a notification dated January 19, 2019, the vacancy notice dated July 11, 2018 had been superseded. By the Gazette notification dated January 19, 2019, the date for determining the last date of application had been notified to be 30 days from the date of publication of the official Gazette or publication of advertisement in newspaper whichever is later. By letter dated January 25, 2019, the petitioners had represented that they were opting for consideration of their application under the notification dated January 19, 2019. The petitioners had received a notice dated March 11, 2019 for a spot enquiry to be held on March 14, 2019. A spot enquiry had been held and the petitioners participated therein. The authorities, however, did not complete the selection process. Consequently, the petitioners had made a representation dated July 29, 2019 seeking to know the fate of the application. However, the petitioners had not been favoured with any response. The petitioners thereafter had moved a writ petition being W.P. No. 15260 (W) of 2019. Such writ petition had been disposed of by an order dated August 8, 2019 directing the Principal Secretary to expedite and conclude the selection process within two months. Thereafter, the petitioners had became aware of a government order dated August 7, 2019 purporting to cancel the vacancy notification. The petitioners had been forwarded with the cheque covering the application money. The Principal Secretary had passed an order dated November 22, 2019 which the petitioners had received on December 27, 2019.;