1. These three petitions may be disposed of together since they raise the same question - in fact two of them are from the same case

2. The petitioners are some of the accused persons in C.C. Nos.1 and 2 on the file of Shri T.R. Balakrishna Iyer, one of the two special judges appointed under S.6 (i) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, XLVI of 1952 for the whole State of Kerala and specified under S.7 (2) of the Act as the judge to try these cases. (Crl. R.P. No. 44 is by accused 1 and 2 and Crl. R.P. No. 55 by the 3rd accused in C. C. No. 1; and Crl. R.P. No. 45 is by accused 1 to 3 in C. C. No. 2). Objection was taken to the trial on the score of want of territorial jurisdiction, but by two separate orders, dated 18th January 1958, the learned special judge over-ruled the objection and proceeded to frame charges under S.251-A (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code. The petitioners seek to set aside those orders and to quash the charges, the principal ground taken being, again, want of jurisdiction.

3. The facts relevant for the present purpose are brief: Accused 1 and 2 in each case whom I shall hereafter call the contractors (or rather the respective firms of which they are