(1) THESE petitions for special leave to appeal are against the judgment and order dated 9/09/1986 of the High court of Patna, Ranchi Bench.

(2) IT appears according to the office report on Limitation that the special leave petition is delayed by 51 days. The application for condonation of delay was filed on behalf of the petitioners staling therein that cue to "inter-departmental correspondence and processing of the matter to enable the department to file the instant petition".

(3) LIST of Dates in the application for condonation of delay gives interesting reading as follows:- 4.11.86 "The date of receipt of certified copy of " the High court, Patnas Judgment. 18.11.86. The Collector of central Excise, patna, forwarded the proposal to the Board for filing the S.L.P. in Supreme Court. 24.11,86 The date on which the Collectors proposal was received in the Board. 3.12.86 The Board referred the proposal to M/o Law and Justice (Advice-B) to find out the feasibility of filing Special Leave Petition in the supreme court. 26.12.86 The Board received back the proposal along with a copy of draft S.L.P. 10.2.87 The proposal was again referred to M/o Law and Justice (CAS