The notification issued by the Andhra Pradesh State Council for Higher Education ("APSCHE" for short) dated 16.1.2013, inviting applications from registered educational societies/affiliated aided and un-aided degree colleges for starting new private unaided degree colleges (including Hotel Management Colleges), U.G. and P.G. Courses for the academic year 2013-14 in the State of Andhra Pradesh, for Madanapalli Mandal in Chittoor District; Kadiri Mandal in Anantapur District; and Huzurabad and Jagityal Mandals in Karimnagar District, is under challenge in this batch of writ petitions as being arbitrary, illegal, contrary to the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Education Act, 1982 (hereinafter called the "Act"), the A.P. Educational Institutions (Establishment, Recognition, Administration and Control of Institutions of Higher Education) Rules, 1987 (hereinafter called the "Rules"), and in violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India.

2. The petitioners are all unaided private degree colleges offering undergraduate courses, after having obtained permission from the APSCHE and on being granted affiliation by their respective Universities. It is their case that, after being s