Navaniti Prasad Singh, J.

1. These three writ petitions in the nature of public interest litigations raise a common question with regard to the legality of acquisition of business of the State Bank of Travancore by State Bank of India. The petitioners contend that the acquisition is not in accordance with law. The respondent State of Kerala support the petitioners. State Bank of India and erstwhile State Bank of Travancore opposed the writ petition. In one of the writ petitions, two individuals have been made respondents who are none else than two of the several Directors of the State Bank of Travancore. These two have virtually supported the writ petitioners.

2. We have heard the parties at length. We must note that initially these writ petitions were to be taken up for urgent interim orders. But with consent of the parties, we heard the parties at length for final disposal of the writ petitions itself, at this stage.

3. To begin with, we would note that we are not involving ourselves in emotional issues which are apparently quite high and significant. A court is concerned only with legal issues leading to legality of the transaction or illegality therein.

4. The first conte