1. Satya Ranjan Nandi and eight-two other persons, the petitioners in this application, claim to be the owners of rickshaws kept or garag within the South Dum Dum Municipality. The petitioners further claimed to be registered as such owners by the said Municipality and allege that they have been issued licences in respect of their rickshaws by the Municipality.

2. On or about the 22nd March 1982, the Government of West Bengal issued a Notification as follows:-

"It is again notified for information of all concerned that in respect of movement of rickshaws on city roads, the following decisions have been taken to ease traffic congestion:-

(i) Unlicensed rickshaws will not be allowed to ply in the city of Calcutta.

(ii) Licensed rickshaws will not be allowed to ply or remain standing on the following roads on all hours of the day:-

(a) The, entire stretch from the Shyambazar 5 point crossing to Lenin Sarani along Bhupen Bose Avenue, Jatindra Mohan Avenue and Chittaranjan Avenue.

(b) The entire stretch of Rabindra Sarani.

(c) The entire stretch of Bidhan Sarani.

Enforcement of the decisions has commenced with effect from the 22nd March, 1982."

3. The petitioners allege that since the is