JUDGMENT - A.P. SHAH, J.:---The constitutional validity of section 3(1)(b) of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 has been challenged in these writ petitions. This question which is common to all the writ petitions is the only question which arises for consideration and these writ petitions are accordingly being disposed of by this common judgment.

2. Section 3(1)(b) of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999, which is hereinafter referred to for the sake of brevity as the Act, lays down :

"Section 3(1). This Act shall not apply

(a) .......

(b) to any premises let or sub-let to banks, or any Public Sector Undertakings or any Corporation established by or under any Central or State Act, or foreign missions, international agencies, multinational companies, and private limited companies and public limited companies having a paid up share capital of rupees one crore or more.

Explanation.---For the purpose of this Clause the expression "bank" means:-

(i) the State Bank of India constituted under the State Bank of India Act, 1955:

(ii) a subsidiary bank as defined in the State Bank of India (Subsidiary Banks) Act, 1959 :

(iii) a corresponding new bank constituted under section 3 of the Banking

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