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The Directorate General of Hydrocarbons is under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas of the Government of India. The functions performed by it are public functions. The notification never contemplated that a public functionary, having regard to the importance of the subject matter and in particular when such importations are being made in public interest, would not dispose of the application for grant of essentiality certificate within a reasonable time so as to enable the importer to avail the benefit thereof. Applicants for grant of such certificates, having regard to their importance, should have been processed by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons as expeditiously as possible but they did not choose to do so probably having regard to the fact that no time schedule therefor was prescribed. It is trite that when a public functionary is required to discharge its public functions within a time specified therefor, the same would be construed to be directory in nature. [See P.T. Rajan Vs. T.P.M. Sahir and Others, (2003) 8 SCC 498 and Punjab State Electricity Board Ltd. Vs. Zora Singh and Others, (2005) 6 SCC 776] Both the Customs Department and Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas are departments of the Central Government. The substantive provisions which were required to be complied with for the purpose of obtaining the benefits under the said exemption notification have indisputably been complied with. It is not the case of the department that the assesse has anything to do with the grant of certificate except to pursue the matter to the best of its abilities. It is not in dispute that the importers were, but for production of the certificate, otherwise entitled to the grant of benefit in terms of the said notification.