Ishan Chaudhary And Another Vs Union Of India And 4 Others (Allahabad High Court)
Allahabad: The Allahabad High Court has affirmed the decision by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (BPCL) to declare applicants ineligible for a retail outlet (petrol pump) dealership, finding fault with the land lease document provided by the petitioners. The core of the dispute lay in the petitioners’ offer of land held jointly by multiple owners, for which the lease deed had been executed by only one co-owner.
The case, Ishan Chaudhary And Another Vs Union Of India And 4 Others, involved a challenge to an order dated March 4, 2025, issued by the Territory Manager (Retail), Mathura, which deemed the petitioners ineligible.
According to the petitioners, they had applied for a retail outlet dealership at a specified location in Agra district following a notification issued by BPCL on June 28, 2023. The land offered for the proposed petrol pump was part of Khasra No. 177, measuring 1332 square meters, obtained through a lease deed from an individual named Vijay Singh.
Upon scrutinising the petitioners’ application and supporting documents, BPCL’s Scrutiny Committee identified a discrepancy. As per the uploaded revenue record (khatauni), Khasra No. 177 had multiple co-owners, but the lease deed submitted by the petitioners was executed by only one of them. Citing the “Dealer Selection Guidelines 2023,” which stipulate that a lease for jointly owned land must be executed by all co-owners, BPCL rejected the application via email on August 16, 2024.
