Allahabad High Court: The Division Bench of Prakash Kesarwani and Dr Yogendra Kumar Srivastava, JJ., reiterated the settled position that in normal course it is not open for a person to seek to prevent a rival from exercising the right to carry on business.
Petitioner had a retail outlet dealership of MS/HSD, awarded by the Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited. The instant petition was filed to seeking to raise a grievance with regard to issuance of a ‘Letter of Intent’ and Addendum to LOI whereunder it was proposed to offer the respondent 6 a retail outlet dealership of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited pursuant to an advertisement issued for the purpose.
Question as to whether a competitor in business could seek to prevent a rival party from exercising its right to carry on business came up for consideration in Nagar Rice and Flour Mills v. N.T. Gowda, (1970) 1 SCC 575.
In the above-cited case, it was held that a competitor in business cannot seek to prevent a rival from exercising its right to carry on business.
Analysis, Law and Decision
Bench reiterated the position that in normal course it would not be open to a competitor in business to seek to prevent a rival from exercising a right to carry on business.
Competition in a trade or business may be subject to restrictions as are permissible and as may be imposed by a law enacted in the interests of the general public. However, independent of any such restriction, a person cannot claim that no other person shall carry on business or trade so as to adversely affect his trade or business.
Adding to the above, bench while parting with its’ decision expressed that where the claim of the petitioner was solely to prevent a rival from exercising a right to carry on business, he would not have the locus standi to maintain a writ petition as the same would essentially be aimed at eliminating healthy competition in business.
In light of the above discussion, petition was dismissed. [Prince Filling Station v. Union Government of India, 2020 SCC OnLine All 1562, decided on 17-12-2020]
Advocates for the parties:
Counsel for the petitioner: Awadhesh Kumar Singh, Abhai Kumar Singh
Counsel for the respondent: A.S.G.I., Anand Tiwari, Anand Tiwari, C.S.C., Vikas Budhwar