Judgment

SUBBA RAO, C. J. (ON BEHALF OF HIM-SELF. SHAH, SIKRI, SHELAT AND VAIDIALINGAM, JJ.);, J.

( 1 ) THESE three writ petitions raise the important question of the validity of the Constitution (Seventeenth Amendment) Act, 1964.

( 2 ) WRIT Petition No. 153 of 1966, is filed by the petitioners therein against the State of Punjab and the Financial Commissioner, Punjab. The petitioners are the son, daughter and granddaughters of one Henry Golak Nath, who died on 30/07/1953. The Financial Commissioner, in revision against the order made by the Additional Commissioner, Jullundur Division, held by an order dated 22/01/1962 that an area of 418 standard acres and 9-1/4 units was surplus in the hands of the petitioners under the provisions of the Punjab Security of Land Tenures Act X of 1953, read with s. 10-B thereof. The petitioners, alleging that the relevant provisions of the said Act where under the said area was declared surplus were void on the ground that they infringed their rights under cls. (f) and (g) of Art. 19 and Art. 14 of the Constitution, filed a writ in this court under Art. 32 of the Constitution for a direction that the Constitution (First Amendment) Act 1951, Constitut