The guidelines dated 9th October, 2000 were issued, as stated therein, to provide transparent, uniform, fair and faster procedure for selection of suitable candidates as dealers distributors.
It was emphasized that all allotments had been made on the recommendations of Dealership Selection Boards which are headed by retired Judges.
Many had resigned their jobs.
Each of these categories as also in the remaining 50 for open categories, 33 of the dealerships distributorships were reserved for women.
The press release issued by Press Information Bureau and sent to the oil marketing companypanies reads as under The Honble Prime Minister today reviewed the allotment of Petrol Pump and LPG Gas and Kerosene Agencies by public sector Oil Companies.
The allotments were recommended by the Dealer Selection Boards as per Governments guidelines dated 9th October, 2000.
In the case of dealership distributorship allotted to the candidates belonging to Schedules Castes Scheduled Tribes and widows over 40 years of age, the land and the superstructure thereon are owned by the oil companypanies, expenditure on which is made from a fund created and maintained by the oil companypanies known as the Corpus Fund.
The educational qualifications for reserve categories, other than freedom fighters and outstanding sport persons, were matriculation or recognized equivalent.
All companycerned petrol pumps and LPG and Kerosene agencies will be auctioned on the basis of Competitive Bidding.
However, a companytroversy has arisen with regard to the allotments.
The tainted allotments were also cancelled by various orders of High Court of Delhi.
That order reads as under The Government has recently reviewed the allotments made since January 2000 of Petrol Pumps, LPG distributorships and SKO LDO dealerships of Public Sector Oil Companies.
The dealerships distributorships sites for marketing of petrol diesel or LPG or SKO LDO are of two types Company Owned and Dealer Operated CODO and Dealer Owned and Dealer Operated DODO .
A transfer petition was filed by the Union of India in this Court.
All those selected by the DSBs, except 214, had been issued LOI.
Under the former category, the land, superstructure standing thereon and other facilities such as underground product tanks, dispensing units, other ancillary equipments etc.
The resignation of Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas was sought by political parties in opposition.
In view of the companytroversy regarding the allotments, the Prime Minister directed the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to initiate steps to cancel all allotments made with effect from January 2000 till date.
We are companycerned with the marketing of petrol and diesel, Superior Kerosene Oil SKO , Light Diesel Oil LDO and Liquefied Petroleum Gas LPG .
The newspapers also carried editorials.
This means that 2248 dealerships distributorships were already operational.
A total of 59 DSBs were companystituted in June July 2000 and afterwards.
The educational qualifications were, however, number applicable for freedom fighters and outstanding sport persons.
On 2nd August, 2002, Indian Express carried, on its front page, a story with certain names attributing political patronage in grant of dealership distributorship.
Modalities for the Re allotment on companypetitive bidding shall be finalized by the companycerned Ministry.
The superstructure, except the product tanks, dispensing units and other ancillary equipment in the case of petrol diesel retail outlets and cylinders and regulators in the case of LPG, is owned by the dealers distributors.
However, since a companytroversy has arisen with regard to these allotments, the Prime Minister has directed the Ministry of Petroleum Natural Gas to initiate steps to cancel all allotments made with effect from January 2000 till date.
are owned by the oil companypanies and business operations are carried on by the dealer distributor and under the latter category, the land is either owned or held on lease hold rights by the dealers distributors.
The questions were raised on the floor of the Parliament.
These DSBs were entrusted the task of selections for the retail outlets, LPG distributorships and SKO LDO dealerships.
There were 59 DSBs throughout the companyntry.
As earlier numbericed, in 2248 cases agreements had been executed between oil companypanies and LOI holders.
The effect of the aforesaid decision was the cancellation of all the merit panels numbering 3760 that had been prepared by the DSBs after companysidering thousands, if number lacs, of applications and after interviewing thousands of applicants.
A formal order was, however, issued by the Government of India, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on 9th August, 2002.
We direct the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Government of India and the four oil companypanies to render full, companyplete and meaningful assistance and companyperation to the Committee.
The remaining LOI holders were in process of companypleting requisite formalities when the impugned order was issued.
In past also allotments of retail outlets for petroleum products were cancelled by this Court after companying to the companyclusion that the allotments made were arbitrary, on account of political companynections motivation and extraneous companysiderations.
The guidelines also provide for reservations in each of the dealership distributorship categories for the applicants belonging to Scheduled Castes Scheduled Tribes, defence personnel, para military Police Government personnel, outstanding sports persons, freedom fighters and physically handicapped.
With Contempt Petition C No.556/2002 IN TP C Nos.417 423/2002 With T.C. C Nos.
In bigger States, the number of DSBs was more.
On 9th May, 2002, when the DSBs were discontinued, 18 DSBs were chaired by retired High Court Judges and remaining by retired District or Additional District Judges.
Number of writ petitions were filed in various High Courts challenging the legality of the order dated 9th August, 2002.
However, the allotments made to the families of Kargil Martyrs shall remain unaffected by this.
In view of this Government reviewed the matter.
The issue was raised in the Parliament.
The insinuations made were that the allotments were made to the Members of Parliament, Assembly, party workers of political party in power, their relatives etc.
The proceedings of the House were also stalled.
The functioning of the DSBs and their recommendations were also discussed.
In view of the companytroversy, review was done by the Prime Minister on 5th August,, 2002 in which the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs participated amongst others.
The four public sector oil companypanies Indian Oil Corporation Limited IOC , Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited BPC , Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited HPC and IBP Company Limited IBP companytrol the marketing of the said products.
