( 1 ) THE plaintiffs are the three partners and their partnership firm who claim that they are carrying on the business of manufacture and sale of nylon hosiery goods in Delhi. Defendants 1 to 4 are manufacturers of various types of nylon filament yarn, including nylon-6 multi-filament yarn and supply about 90 per cent. of the total nylon yarn produced in India. Defendants 1 to 4 also manufacture nylon crimped/dyed yarn. Defendant 5 is an Association of synthetic fibre industry, Bombay of which defendants 1 to 4 are members. Defendants 6 to 23 are various associations/co-operative Societies, who represent some of the actual users of the said nylon-6 multi-filament yarn and also nylon crimped/dyed yarn. Defendant 24 is the Chairman of the Central Nylon Committee: defendant 25 is the Member- Secretary of the Central Nylon Committee and defendant 26 is the Chairman of the Silk and Rayon Textile Export Promotion Council and is also a member of the said Central Nylon Committee.

( 2 ) DEFENDANTS 1 to 4 and defendants 6 and 8 to 14 entered into an agreement dated April 22, 1972 (hereinafter referred to as "the April Agreement") whereby the selling prices of various deniers a