Writ of mandamus denied where lease negotiations remained unaccepted counter-offers and open-auction policy governed allotment.

A writ of mandamus was refused where correspondence over a 99-year lease never ripened into a concluded contract: the original offer was not accepted, later replies were counter-offers, and those counter-offers were also not accepted. The Court found no basis to compel the Port Trust to ignore its land policy, which required immovable property arrangements through open auction, and held that the impugned terms were not shown to be unreasonable. The writ petition failed, and the Estate Officer was directed to proceed with eviction proceedings and quantify occupation charges in accordance with law.

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Issues: Whether the petitioners were entitled to a writ of mandamus restraining the Port Trust from acting on the impugned letters and compelling consideration of a 99-year lease in their favour.

Analysis: The letters exchanged between the parties did not result in a concluded and enforceable contract. The initial offer for a 99-year lease was not accepted, and the petitioners' responses constituted counter-offers that were in turn not accepted. The Port Trust's terms were not shown to be unreasonable, and its land policy required arrangements for immovable property to be made through an open auction. In these circumstances, the writ court would not bypass the contractual and policy framework to grant the relief sought.

Conclusion: The petitioners were not entitled to the mandamus sought and the challenge to the impugned action failed.

Final Conclusion: The writ petition was disposed of without granting relief, and the Estate Officer was directed to proceed with the eviction proceedings and quantify occupation charges in accordance with law.

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