(1) Where, at the
expiration of the period specified in an instrument under section 23(1), only
one application has been made under that subsection in respect of the block or
blocks specified in the instrument, the Minister may reject the application or
may, by instrument in writing served on the applicant, inform the applicant
that he is prepared to grant to him a permit in respect of that block or those
blocks.
(2) Where, at the
expiration of the period specified in an instrument under section 23(1), 2 or
more applications have been made under that subsection in respect of the block
or blocks specified in the instrument, the Minister may reject any or all of
the applications and, if he does not reject all of the applications, may
—
(a) if
only one application remains unrejected, by instrument in writing served on
the applicant; or
(b) if 2
or more applications remain unrejected, by instrument in writing served on the
applicant, or on one of the applicants, whose application has not been
rejected and who has specified as the amount that he is prepared to pay in
respect of the grant of a permit to him an amount that is not less than the
amount specified by any other applicant whose application has not been
rejected,
inform him that he is
prepared to grant to him a permit in respect of that block or those blocks.
[(3), (4) deleted]
(5) An instrument
under this section shall contain —
(a) a
summary of the conditions subject to which the permit is to be granted; and
(b) a
statement to the effect that the application will lapse if the applicant does
not —
(i)
make a request under section 26(1); and
(ii)
pay the balance of the amount to be paid in respect of
the grant of the permit to the applicant.
[Section 25 amended: No. 12 of 1990 s. 169; No. 28
of 1994 s. 83; No. 42 of 2010 s. 81.]