( 1 ) THE petitioner herein as also the petitioners in the connected writ petitions are holders of licences to run cinemas under the Cinematograph Act, 1952 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) and the Delhi Cinematograph Rules, 1953 (the rules) made thereunder. For some years, the Delhi Administration has been regulating the rates at which cinema tickets could be sold by the holders of the licences for running the cinema theatres in Delhi. In 1975, there was a general cut of 10% in the rates which had been already fixed by the Delhi Administration tor the sale of cinema tickets. The holders of these licences felt aggrieved by the said cut. They made representations to the Delhi Administration pointing out that already the expenses of exhibiting films and maintaining the cinema theatres had gone up for a number of years and the rates which had already been fixed were already proving unbearable and on top of it, the cut of 10% was making it uneconomical for the licensees to run the cinemas. The representation of the National Associaion of Motion Picture Exhibitors was considered by the Lt. Governor and the Administration agreed to allow the licensees to add to the exi