- (1.) These two writ petitions raise common questions of law and facts though with conflict interest of the two petitioners who have filed these petitions.
(2.) Following facts emerge from the pleadings. The official respondents had called tender for allotment of work of loading and unloading and stacking of food grains in all forty purchase centres/Mandis of the State of Punjab. The petitioners of both these petitions participated in the said tender process. Mr. Narinder Singh, who is petitioner in Civil Writ Petition No. 3 of 2013, was allotted labour and cartage contract for Pitho Mandi for the year 2012-13. The agreement in this behalf was also executed. The period of agreement is from 01.04.2012 to 31.03.2013. Mr. Narinder Singh, petitioner had authorization from PUNSUP for this purpose, though, he has alleged in his petition that after allotment of the contract, other major agencies, namely, PUNSUP, Markfed, Punjab State Ware Housing Corporation, Punjab Agro and Food Corporation of India have also authorized him to carry out labour work on their behalf at the basic rates in the area of Pitho Mandi. Other petitioner, namely, Punjab Pardesh Palledar Union, Rampura Phul (in Civil Writ Petition No.2 of 2013) was awarded the contract for Rampura Phul centre, which is in District Bathinda. The contract of this petitioner is also for the period from 01.04.2012 to 31.03.2013, for all the aforesaid agencies, namely, Pungrain, PUNSUP, Markfed, Punjab Agro and Punjab State Warehouse Corporation.
(3.) Both these petitioners started doing the work as per the terms of the agreement in their respective centres, namely, Pitho Mandi and Rampura Phul, respectively. Pitho Mandi in its area is comparatively much smaller than Rampura Phul Mandi which is awarded to Punjab Pardesh Palledar Union. In the meanwhile, two more godowns were constructed, one by Balaji Complex at Pitho and other by Ekam Enterprises at Pitho and these two enterprises/parties, who were constructing the godowns, entered into an agreement with Pungrain in July, 2012.;