JUDGMENT

ALTAMAS KABIR, J.

1. Several Special Leave Petitions (now Civil Appeals) were filed in this Court against the common judgment and order dated 27th March, 2007, passed by the Madras High Court, including Writ Appeal Nos.1788 & 1919 of 2005, 1142 to 1144, 1209, 1342 to 1345 of 2006, 293 of 2007 and W.P.Nos.44991, 45805 of 2006 & 1460 of 2007. Of the said appeals, we are concerned with Writ Appeal Nos.1144 of 2006 and 293 of 2007, which are the subject matter of Civil Appeal Nos.6673-6674 of 2009, filed by M/s New Horizon Sugar Mills Ltd.

2. As will be evident from the various writ petitions and writ appeals filed by the various

parties, there are several skeins running through the fabric of the matter before us. The main issue, however, relates to the challenge thrown to G.O.Ms.No.12 dated 18.2.2006 issued by the Department of Revenue and Disaster Management, Government of Pondicherry, under powers conferred under the Pondicherry Protection of Interests of Depositors in Financial Establishments Act, 2004 (Act 1 of 2005), ordering attachment of properties acquired by Pondicherry Nidhi Ltd.

3. For a proper understanding of the background in which the said G.O. came to be issued, it