The principle of natural justice requires that parties should be given an opportunity to be heard before a mandamus is issued for alternative accommodation.

1. - In all these appeals. detailed in the schedule the petitions filed by the respondents have been disposed of by the learned Single Judge with certain directions to the appellants and injunction in respect of not to disturb the petitioners from the place in question until alternative accommodation is made available to them. All these petitions have been disposed of with such directions without issuing notice to the appellants who were subjected to this mandamus. These facts are admitted.

2. In these circumstances, all the appeals deserve to be allowed on this ground alone that when a mandamus has been issued to appellants to provide alternative accommodation the petitions filed by the respondents-petitioners ought to have been decided only after Issuing notices to the appellants and giving them an opportunity to file their reply and hearing.

3. It is not a case where the appellants have merely been directed to decide the representations for providing alternative accommodation, but entails a mandamus to grant an alterative accommodation before they are shifted from the present place. Appeals are accordingly allowed. The judgment under appeal is set aside and the matter may now be placed before the appropriate Bench to be decided afresh after issuing notice to respondents In the petition Status quo as it exists today shall continue till appropriate orders made by learned Single Judge on such request in the petition.Special appeal allowed.

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