ORDER :

Gopal Rao Ekbote, J. - All these writ petitions raise of law and they can therefore be conveniently disposed of by a common judgement.

2. The essential facts are that prior to 1956, the work of prohibition enforcement was attended to by the regular police force in the district of Chitteor, Nellore and Gantur and by separate prohibition Department is other districts. In 1956, however, the Prohibition Department was abolished and the work was entrusted entirely to the Police Department. Again in 1960, the Government decided that the work of enforcement of prohibition should be taken away from the police and entrusted to a separate agency. A committee was appointed. The report of that committee was considered by the Government and consequently G.O. Ms. No. 42, dated January 1961 was issued.

3. According to that Government Order, the network of enforcement of prohibition was taken away from the police and was entrusted to a new department called Excise and Prohibition Department. The existing Excise Department was directed to be merged in the new department. The Government Order gave the set-up of the new Excise and Government order also pointed out the methods of filling up the p