Judgment

P.K. Balasubramanyan, J.—1. These appeals challenge the decision of the Full Bench of the Madras High Court dated 4.3.2003 upholding the validity of Sections 2 and 3 of the Madras City Tenants’ Protection (Amendment) Act, 1994 (Act 2 of 1996) published in the Official Gazette on 11.1.1996. By virtue of Section 2, Section 1 of the Madras City Tenants’ Protection Act, 1921 was amended and in the sub-Section providing for exemptions from the operation of the Act, clause (f) was added and in that process exempting tenancies of land owned by religious institutions or religious charities belonging to Hindu, Muslim, Christian or other religions. By Section 3, it was declared that any proceeding instituted by a tenant in respect of any land owned by such a religious institution or religious charity, which was being exempted from the operation of the Act pending before any Court or other Authority, would stand abated and all rights and privileges conferred by the extension of the Madras City Tenants’ Protection Act, 1921 would cease and would become unenforceable. However, a proviso was added to the effect that nothing contained in Section 3 shall be deemed to render invalid, any su