The petitioners is these two Writ Petitions are Advocates appointed as Notaries under orders issued by the Government. While the petitioner in W.P. (C) 21975 of 2003 is authorised to practice in Revenue District of Ernakulam the petitioner in W.P. (C) 21359 of 2003 is authorised to practice within the Cochin Corporation area. The petitioners are challenging the letter produced as Annexure R1(a) in W.P. (C) 21359 of 2003 prohibiting Notaries from doing notarial work for persons living outside the jurisdiction assigned to the Notary under the certificate of practice issued to him. Another Notary who is authorised to practice in Ambalapuzha Taluk with office at Alappuzha has impleaded as additional respondent in W.P.(C) 21359 of 2003 and opposed the Writ Petition. The immediate provocation to file these petitions is the insistence of the Passport Officer for notarization of documents produced before him subject to the Government Order and press release referred above. I heard both counsel appearing for the petitioners, Additional Central Government Standing Counsel appearing for the Passport Officer, the Government pleader for the State and the counsel appearing for the ad