Ashok Bhushan, Ag. C.J.

The Principal Challenge in this bunch of Writ Petitions is to the constitutional validity of the Kerala Forest (Vesting and Management of Ecologically Fragile Lands) Act, 2003 (hereinafter referred to as "the 2003 Act"). Apart from the above challenge, other reliefs have also been claimed in some of the Writ Petitions. The bunch also includes a few Writ Petitions filed as Public Interest Litigation supporting the 2003 Act and challenging the action of the respondents in excluding some of the estates as not being ecologically fragile land. The issues raised in this bunch of Writ Petitions are of public importance and relevant for human life and nature.

2. For appreciating the issues raised in these Writ Petitions and for answering the issues, it is necessary to note the facts of some of the Writ Petitions of this bunch. Most of the Writ Petitions raise similar question of facts and law and hence it shall be sufficient to note facts of some of the Writ Petitions which may suffice the decision in all the Writ Petitions. Writ Petition No.26691 of 2010 which has been argued in extenso is being treated as the leading Writ Petition. Apart from noticing the fa