( 1 ) ALL these seven petitions have been heard together and are being disposed of by this common judgment at the instance of both the sides. The learned Counsels for both the sides have referred to the papers filed in the main matter Special Civil Application No. 1837 of 1997 for the purpose of their arguments.

( 2 ) THESE identical petitions seek to challenge the order passed by Honble the speaker of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly on 24th February 1997 which is at annexure "a" to the petition by which these petitioners were in response to their letter dated 20th February 1997 addressed to Honble the Speaker informed by him that he did not find it proper at that stage to change the sitting arrangement under which these petitioners were allotted their seats with the Mahagujarat Janata Party in the House. A declaration is also sought that these petitioners continued to be the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party and that they were entitled to sit with the members of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the House. By an amendment a further prayer is sought, seeking a direction that the names of the petitioners should be deleted from the list of the members of the Mah