JUDGMENT

VENKTACHALIAH, J. :— In these writ petitions under Art. 32 of the Constitution of .India, three electric supply undertakings in the State of Tamil Nadu, namely, Vellore Electric Corporation Ltd, Nagapatam Electric Supply Co. Ltd., and Kumbakonam Electric .Supply Corporation Ltd., challenge the constitutional validity of the Tamil Nadu Private Electricity Supply Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1973, (Act for short) on the ground that the Act, which envisages the acquisition of the Electric Supply Undertakings of three petitioners, as violative of Arts. 14, 19(l)(f), 19(l)(g) and 31 of the Constitution.

These writ petitions were heard along with Writ Petition (Civil) Nos. 457 and 458 of 1.972, pertaining to the acquisition of Tinsukhia Electric Supply-Co. Ltd., and Dibrugarh Electric Supply Co. Ltd., under the provisions of the Tinsukhia and Dibrugarh Electric Supply Undertakings (Acquisition) Act, 1973, (Assam Act 1973) and the main contentions touching the constitutionality of such State laws, providing for acquisition of private electricity undertakings - independently of and without recourse to the option to purchase envisaged by the terms of licences and under the provis