Judgment

GROVER, J.- This is an appeal by special leave from a judgment of the Punjab High Court dismissing a petition under Articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution which had been filed by the appellant Municipal Committee challenging the taking over by the State of all the schools which were being run by it together with all the buildings in which the schools were functioning and other movable and immovable properties connected with these institutions which belonged to the Committee. The order of the State for payment of an annual contribution which upto the date of the filing of the writ petition i.e., May 10, 1964 and reached the figure of 53 lakhs was also challenged.

2. The appellant Committee is a first class Municipal Committee and has been in existence from a long time. It has been managing its local affairs through the elected representatives from the city who are called Municipal Commissioners. It is constituted and functions under the provisions of the Punjab Municipal Act, 1911. A number of primary schools were being run by the Committee within the municipal limits of the town of Amritsar for which it was getting grant-in-laid from the Punjab Government. It was, however,