1. This is a petition under Art.226 of the Constitution, complaining about the denial of press pass to the staff correspondent of the "Desabhimani", for the session of the Kerala Legislative Assembly which commenced from the last week of February. It is alleged that the practice has been to issue passes to accredited correspondents, that Sudarsana Babu, the correspondent concerned, has been enjoying this facility for three years, and that when the current session commenced, the usual pass was denied to him on the directions of the Speaker, though passes were issued to all the other 74 accredited correspondents. The facility was denied to Babu alone, without assigning any reason, without even informing him, and without a hearing also. The first respondent is the State of Kerala, which is said to be the accrediting agency. The 2nd respondent is the Speaker. The 3rd respondent is the Secretary of the Assembly, responsible for signing the pass. The action is challenged on the following, among other grounds:-

[i] Babu has been singled out for discriminatory treatment, in a manner violative of Art.14 of the Constitution;

[ii] denial of the necessary facility to report the proce