JUDGMENT

Aniruddha Roy, J. - Facts:

1. TATA Steel Ltd., the successor-in-interest of the TATA Iron Steel Ltd. is the first writ petitioner. The petitioner has its one of the largest integrated steel manufacturing plants in the country at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. Since its establishment, the petitioner had consistent investments in continuous modernization, research, development with various innovative ideas in respect of its integrated steel plant.

2. The Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (for short, the said Act of 1955) was enacted in the interest of general public for the control of production, supply, distribution of and also for trade and commerce in certain commodities. Section 2 (a) of the said Act of 1955 defines 'Essential Commodities'. Under such provision 'Iron and Steel, including manufactured products of iron and steel' were declared as essential commodities. Section 3 of the said Act empowers the Central Government, the first respondent herein, to control the production, supply, distribution of trade and commerce for the commodities specified thereunder. The Iron and Steel (Control) Order, 1956 (for short, the Control Order of 1956) was introduced under Section 3 of the act