counsel for the respondent‐Corporation in W.P.No.31347 of 2010 as well as learned counsel for the petitioner in W.P.No.8505 of 2010, at the outset the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Petroleum And Natural Gas to the oil companies are wholly in the realm of guidelines and it cannot be said that they are absolutely binding in all respects. This aspect may be considered in the context of the fact that the oil companies viz., BPCL as well as HPCL are listed corporate entities and are the companies registered under the Companies Act, wherein the companies are expected to work out their business strategies in a most efficient manner keeping in view the dynamic market conditions. In a way, both BPCL and HPCL are competitors, although they may be selling the same products, the aspect of market competition cannot be wished away. In this context, it may be noted that the very pleading of the petitioner in W.P.No.31347 of 2010 that in the notification issued by the HPCL, it has not categorically restricted and called for applications for grant of dealership to the places, other than National Highways/State Highways. It is also not the contention of the second respondent ‐ Corporation that there was any embargo imposed in the very notification specifically notifying that with respect to the grant of retail outlets under the Hamara Pump scheme, the applicants are required to locate their business in places other than the adjacent of
