( 1 ) IN all these appeals, which are instituted under Clause 15 of the Letters Patent, question of interpretation and ambit of powers of Municipal authorities under section 260 read with section 478 of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporations Act,1949 ("the Act" for short) arises for our consideration. As common question of facts and law arise for our consideration in these appeals, we propose to dispose of them by this common judgment.

( 2 ) SPECIAL Civilapplication No. 5555/93 out of which Letters Patent Appeal No. 553/94 arises, was originally filed by 55 persons. Pursuant to order dated June 18, 1993 passed by the Court, petitioners no. 56 to 77 were added. However, the Court vide its order dated June 11, 1993 had directed that separate petitions should be filed for petitioners other than petitioner no. 1. Therefore, separate petitions being Special Civil Applications No. 5711/93 to 5764/93 and Special Civil Applications No. 6321/93 to 6342/93 were filed, which have given rise to Letters Patent Apepals Nos. 554/94 to 607/94 and Letters Patent Appeals No. 608/94 to 629/94. In these groups of appeals, the respondents had prayed that Municipal Corporation of