SHIVARAJ PATIL, J.

These writ appeals are placed before us for disposal based on the order of reference made on 10-3-1997 by the Division Bench of this Court.

2. These two writ appeals are directed against one and the same judgment and order of the learned single Judge dated 21-2-1990 in W.P. No. 2336 of 1981, one filed by the writ petitioner, and the other filed by the respondent No. 1 in the writ petition respectively. For convenience, we will refer to the parties throughout this judgment as they are arrayed in the writ petition.

3. Briefly stated, the facts giving rise to these appeals, and leading to the reference of these appeals to a large bench, are the following :-

The petitioner is a public limited company incorporated under the Indian Companies Act, 1913 having its factories at Kundare in Kerala, Hirakud in Orissa and Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh. It is one of the prime manufacturers of Aluminum cables and conductors for supply to State Electricity Boards and other power Utilisers in the country. For the manufacture of such conductors and cables, Aluminium is the basic product. Aluminium being an essential commodity, its production, distribution and supply were gov