JUDGMENT - D.R. DHANUKA, J. :---The Maharashtra Wine Merchants Association and Hotel and Restaurant Association (Western India) alongwith their respective presidents have filed Writ Petition No. 1824 of 1991 in this Court impugning the validity of order dated 17th May, 1991 issued by the Collector of Bombay (City), a copy of which is Exhibit B-1 to the petition. By the impugned order it is ordered that all the wine shops in Greater Bombay shall be kept closed between 18th May, 1991 and 29th May, 1991 in view of elections to Lok Sabha scheduled to be held on 26th May, 1991.

2. The Maharashtra Retail Liquor Dealers Association and Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association have filed Writ petition No. 1826 of 1991 impugning the validity of the same very order.

3. Mr. Rajeev Adyanthaya, President of Greater Bombay Retail Country Liquor Licenses Association, and two others have also impugned the validity of same very order in Writ Petition No. 1827 of 1991. The petitioner have filed these three writ petitions under Article 226 of Constitution of India.

4. It is necessary to refer to a few facts and some of the provisions of Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949 and the relevant r

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