Judgment

Mrs. Sujata V. Manohar, J.—Delay condoned.

2. Leave granted in special leave petitions.

3. This group of appeals is filed by the Union of India, the State of West Bengal and the State of Uttar Pradesh against a judgment and order dated 31.8.1995 of the Delhi High Court in C.W.P. Nos. 4408 of 4703 of 1993; while the writ petition is filed by the Eastern India Motion Picture Association against the Union of India and others. This group of appeals and the writ petition raise a common question of law as to the validity of certain provisions of (1) the West Bengal Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1954 and a notification No. 7277-F dated 20.9.1957 issued thereunder, (2) the Cinematograph Act, 1952, (3) the U.P. Cinemas (Regulation) Act, 1955 and (4) the Delhi Cinematograph Rules, 1981.

4. The respondents in the appeals are Associations of organisations engaged in the business of distribution and exhibi­tion of motion picutres in the area of Delhi and U.P. commonly known as the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh Circuit and in West Bengal.

5. In Part III of the Cinematograph Act, 1952 which applies only to the Union Territories including Delhi, Section 12 imposes certain restrictions on the powers of the l