R. M. Savant, J.

1. Rule in all the above Writ Petitions, with the consent of the learned counsel for the Petitioners and the learned Additional Public Prosecutor made returnable forthwith and heard.

2. The above group of 21 Writ Petitions challenge the orders passed by the Appellate Authority in the Appeals filed by the Petitioners under Section 60 of the Maharashtra Police Act (for short “the police act”) by which orders the externment orders passed by the Externing Authority came to be confirmed save and except to the extent mentioned in the operative part of the orders passed by the Appellate Authority in some cases. All the Petitions involve identical facts and raise the same issues and are therefore heard together and disposed of.

3. The orders of externment passed against the Petitioners in each of the above Writ Petitions are under Section 55 of the police act. The Petitioners in the above Writ Petitions were issued a show cause notice under Section 59 of the police act calling upon them to show cause as to why they should not be externed under Section 55 of the police act for a period of 2 years from the Districts which are mentioned in each of the show cause notice