JUDGMENT

D.P. Mohapatra, J.-Leave granted in all the Special Leave Petitions.

2. The controversy raised in these cases relates to validity of the Notification issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh under G.O. Ms. No. 13 to 24 Transport, Roads and Building (Tr-III) dated 27.1.2000 approving the Schemes submitted by the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation ("APSRTC" for short) for exclusive operation of stage carriage services on certain routes in exercise of the powers conferred by section 100 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act 59 of 1988) (for short the Act ). Since the similar question of fact and law were involved in these cases they were decided by the High Court by a common judgment rendered on 21.4.2000 in writ petition Nos. 1546,1552 1553 and 1554 of 2000. These appeals were heard together with the consent of learned counsel for the parties. While appeals arising out of SLP (C) Nos. 14633-34/2000 were filed by M. Madan Mohan Rao and Y. Rajendra Prasad who were the petitioners in W.P. No. 1546/2000 and 1553/2000 respectively; the appeal arising out of SLP (C) No. 15561/2000 has been filed by K. Mallikarjuna Rao who was the petitioner in W.P. No. 1552