KANAKARAJ, J.

These writ appeals and the writ petitions relate to a common question as to whether the appellants and the writ petitioners are entitled to claim certain concessional electricity tariff rate applicable to certain power intensive factories and units and for that purpose they seek to quash certain Government orders denying such concessions issued under the Tamil Nadu Revision of Tariff Rates on Supply of Electrical Energy Act, 1979 (Act 1 of 1979) (hereinafter referred to as Act (1 of 1979). To appreciate the grounds on which the relief is sought for, it is essential that we should know the facts of the case.

2. The appellants in W.A, Nos. 2 to 10 of 1988 were the writ petitioners in W. P. Nos. 2211 of 1987, 1146 of 1982, 4948 of 1985, 5426 of 1982, 5427 of 1982, 5428 of 1982, 1147 of 1982, 4949 of 1985 and 7186 of 1985 respectively. They are engaged in the production of rough synthetic gems which are subsequently cut and polished by skilled manual labour into synthetic gems of various colours, shapes and sizes used for personal ornaments in gold, silver etc. and also for certain industrial uses. We do not propose to set out the prayer in each of the writ peti