JUDGMENT

RANGANATHAN, J.:- This is a batch of appeals and writ petitions challenging the validity of a notification issued on 15-12-1986 by the Central Government under S. 87 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act (Act of Parliament No. 31 of 1966), hereinafter referred to as the Reorganisation Act. By this notification, the Central Government purported to extend to the Union territory of Chandigarh - hereinafter referred to also as Chandigarh - the provisions of the East Punjab Urban Rent Restriction (Amendment) Act, 1985 (Punjab Act 2 of 1985) (hereinafter referred to as the 1985 Act), as it was in force in the State of Punjab at the date of the notification and subject to the modifications mentioned in the .said notification. The Punjab and Haryana High Court by its judgment in Ramesh Birch v. Union, AIR 1988 Punj & Har 281 (FB), upheld the validity of the above notification and hence the special leave petitions. The writ petitions have been directly filed in this Court challenging the validity of the notification. In view of the importance of the question involved, we have heard the parties on the merits of the cases. We, therefore, grant special leave in, the special leave petitions