JUDGMENT :

Bela M. Trivedi, J.

1. Both the petitions, involving similar questions of law and facts, were heard together with the consent of the learned Advocates for the parties and this common order is being passed.

2. The petitioners in both the petitions have prayed for the following main reliefs:-

(a) to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the respondent for implementing with Exhibit "B" dated 27th January, 2004, Exhibit "C" dated 9th October, 2013 and Exhibit "E" dated 14.8.2014;

(b) to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, directing the respondent that the said lease deed dated 31st August, 1996 is void ab initio and the respondents be restrained by an order of this Hon'ble Court from acting upon the said lease be issued;

(c) to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, restraining the respondents from demanding any levy or rent or its arrears from the petitioners;

(d) to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction, restraining the respondents in any manner disturbing the possession of the petitioners and its members and restraining respondents from in any manner disturbing the cultivation of salt by the petitioner and its members and sale of the salt;

(e) without prejudice to the above, respondents be restrained from terminating the lease and directing them to renew the lease in accordance with terms of the lease deed at Exhibit "A" dated 31st August, 1996;

(f) to issue a writ of mandamus or any other appropriate writ, order or direction restraining the respondents from issuing any commercial tender in respect of the said plots of land in possession of the petitioner and its members."

3. The broad facts as emerging from the petitions are that the petitioners are the registered Cooperative Societies and their members are engaged in the production of salt, who are known as "Agariyas". According to the petitioners, the forefathers of their members were the owners and in possession of their respective salt lands from the time immemorial, and the they having inherited the said lands from their forefathers, they had become the owners of their respective plots. However, taking undue advantage of their illiteracy and ignorance of law, the then Salt Commissioner pressurized the members of the petitioners Societies to execute the lease deeds with the Central Government for manufacturing the salt. They were threatened that they would not be allowed to manufacture salt if they did not execute the lease deeds with the Central Government, and therefore, the petitioners entered into the lease deeds in 1974 for a period of 20 years up to 1994. Under the said lease agreements, the Salt Commissioner imposed ground rent and assignment fees on the production of salt. Thus, according to the petitioners, the Government of India, without any authority of law, converted the members of the petitioner Societies from the owners to the lessees in respect of the said lands, and levied illegal assignment fees and ground rent. The petitioners were also forced to execute subsequent lease deeds on 31.8.1996 for the period from 1.10.1994 to 30.9.2014 (Annexure-A), which were illegal and void ab initio. According to them, during the tenure of the said lease deeds, the respondents had unilaterally increased the ground rent and the assignment fees in the year 2004 and 2013 and issued the impugned notices at Annexures-"B", "C" and "E" respectively. Hence, the petitions have been filed.

4. The affidavit-in-reply has been filed on behalf of the respondents, wherein it has been contended inter alia that the lease deeds dated 31.8.1996 were entered into by the petitioners on their own free will and understanding. During the period when the lease deeds were in force and operation, the petitioners did not raise any dispute with regard to their ownership rights, and it was only when the lease period is expiring, such dispute