JUDGMENT

Srikrishna, J.-Leave granted.

2. This group of appeals impugns the common judgment of the Division Bench of the Andhra Pradesh High Court dated 8th May, 2001 in WA 1715/1998, WA 1716/1998, WA 1720/1998, CC 114/2001, CC 115/2001 & CC 116/2001, dismissing the Letters Patent Appeals filed by the State of Andhra Pradesh and quashing a G.O.Ms. No. 38 dated 16.1.2001 (Annex P-4) issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

3. The short facts for disposal of these appeals are as under :

The Government of Andhra Pradesh had taken a policy decision to encourage the functioning of Newspaper Concerns and Educational Institutions, which were finding it difficult to find land within the State at affordable prices. A large tract of 72 acres of vacant land in Survey No. 403 corresponding to T.S.No. 2 of Shaikpet Village of Hyderabad District was owned by the State Government. Out of this land, an extent of 43 acres had been allotted to the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) for the purpose of development of residential plots, which could be sold and proceeds thereof utilized for the formation of the Necklace road around Hussain Sagar lake. The