Judgment

DUA, J.:- This appeal by special leave is directed against the judgment and order of the Madras High Court dated March 25, 1971 dismissing at the stage of admission an appeal under cl. 15 of the Letters Patent preferred by the appellant against the judgment and order of a learned single Judge of that Court dated September 1, 1970 allowing writ petition no. 933 of 1970 filed by the respondent praying for a writ of mandamus directing the Licensing Authority under the Imports & Exports (Control) Act, 1947 to do his public duty and consider the applications for import licence made by the respondent. More than 200 writ petitions were hears together and disposed of by a common judgment of the learned single Judge, the facts in the respondent s writ petition No. 933 of 1970 being, by common consent, treated as illustrative of all the other cases as well.

2. On December 7, 1968 Lala Manickchand, proprietor of Messrs. Katerlla Metal Corporation, Madras, respondent in this Court, submitted an application, as a new unit, for the licensing period 1968-69 for the grant of an importing stainless steel as an actual user for manufacturing hospital requisites. The registration certificate da