Judgment

HIDAYATULLAH, C.J.I. :- This petition is an off-shoot of the decision of this Court on the constitutional validity of the Banking Companies (Acquisition of Transfer of Undertakings) Act, being Act 22 of 1969. By a majority of ten Judges against one, this Court declared the Act to be unconstitutional. The decision of the Court was given on February 10, 1970.*

2. On February 13, 1970, a meeting was organised by the Blitz National forum at Vithalbhai Patel House at Delhi. It was presided over by Mr. Mohan Kumaramangalam, an advocate of this Court. According to the news items published the next day in the Hindustan Times, the Times of India and the Patriot, a number of persons spoke about the Act and the decision of this Court upon it. Among the speakers were Mr. R. K. Khadilkar, Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Mr. A. S. R. Chari, Mr. Kumaramangalam, Mr. Prabhatkar, Mr. S. M. Joshi, M. P., Mr. Bhupesh Gupta, M. P. and Mr. V. K. Krishna Menon, M. P. These speakers criticised the decision. Mr. R. K. Khadilkar, the Hindustan Times reported, said that such decisions do not enhance the prestige of the Judiciary , that such acts on the part of the highest Court will only encour