( 1 ) THESE appeals can be disposed of by this common judgment as all of them are against the judgment of the High Court dated 16/12/1997.

( 2 ) THE question which arises for consideration is whether under the provisions of the Sick Textile Undertakings (Nationalisation) Act, 1974 interest amounts, on loans advanced by banks are to be paid in priority. The relevant provisions of the Act are Ss. 3, 4, 5, 8, 9, 21 and 27 which read as follows:

"3. Acquisition of rights of owners in respect of sick textile undertakings.- (1) On the appointed day, every sick textile undertaking and the right, title and interest of the owner in relation to every such sick textile undertaking shall stand transferred to, and shall vest absolutely in, the Central Government. (2) Every sick textile undertaking which stands vested in the Central Government by virtue of sub-section (1) shall, immediately after it has so Vested, stand transferred to, and vested in, the National Textile Corporation.

4. General effect of vesting.- (1) The sick textile undertaking referred to in Section 3 shall be deemed to include all assets, rights, leaseholds, powers, authorities and privileges and all property, movable and immovable, including lands, buildings, workshops, stores, instruments, machinery and equipment, cash balances, cash on hand, reserve funds, investments and book debts and all other rights and interests in, or arising out of, such property as were immediately before the appointed day in the ownership, possession, power or control of the owner of the sick textile undertaking, whether within or outside India, and all books of account, registers and all other documents of whatever - nature relating thereto and shall also be deemed to include the liabilities and obligations specified in sub-section (2) of S. 5. (2) All property as aforesaid which have vested in the Central Government under sub-section (1) of Section 3 shall, by force of such vesting, be freed and discharged from any trust, obligation, mortgage, charge, lien and all other incumbrances affecting it, and any attachment, injunction or decree or order of any court restricting the use of such property in any manner shall be deemed to have been withdrawn. (3) Where any licence or other instrument in relation to a sick textile undertaking had been granted at any time before the date on which the Ordinance was promulgated, to an owner by the Central Government or a State Government or any other authority, the National Textile Corporation shall, on and from such date, be deemed to be substituted in such licence or other instrument in place of the owner referred to therein as if such licence or other instrument had been granted to it and shall hold such licence or the sick textile undertaking specified in such other instrument for the remainder of the period for which the owner would have held such licence or the sick textile undertaking under such other instrument. (4) Every mortgagee of any property which has vested under this Act in the Central Government and every person holding any charge, lien or other interest in or in relation to any such property shall give, within such time and in such manner as may be prescribed, an intimation to the Commissioner of such mortgage, charge, lien or other interest. (5) For the removal of doubts, it is hereby declared that the mortgagee of any property referred to in sub-section (2) or any other person holding any charge, lien or other interest in, or in relation to, any such property shall be entitled to claim, in accordance with his rights and interests, payment of the mortgage money or other dues, in whole or in part, out of the amount specified in relation to such property in the First Schedule, but no such mortgage, charge, lien or other interest shall be enforceable against any property which has vested in the Central Government. (6) If, on the appointed day, any suit, appeal or other proceeding of whatever nature in relation to any matter specified in sub