ORDER :

D.V.S.S. Somayajulu, J.

1. This batch of Writ Petitions are filed by traders, who are tenants of a complex in Produtturu, which is owned by the respondent-Prodduturu Municipality. They were inducted into the premises as tenants pursuant to a public notice in the year 2013. They have been continuing in possession since then as tenants of the respondent-municipality.

2. The dispute in these cases centers around the "hike/increase" in the rents for the period 2016-19 and 2019-22. There are two hikes in the rent which were intimated in July, 2020 and October, 2020 only to the petitioners. Challenging the same these Writ Petitions were filed.

3. Since common questions of fact and law are involved, learned counsels requested that all the matters should be taken up for hearing and accordingly with the consent of the learned counsels final hearing was completed.

PETITIONERS SUBMISSIONS:

4. Sri T.D. Phani Kumar, learned counsel appearing for the petitioners in all these cases submits that the petitioners are lawful tenants. He questions the manner and method in which the rent has been enhanced in these cases. According to the learned counsel for the petitioners the 1st demand of rent, aft