ORDER :- The two writ petitions are identical in nature and have been filed by the same petitioner. They relate to the tenancy rights of the petitioner in a non-residential building which is owned in equal moieties by two minors who are arrayed as the second respondent respectively in each of the petitions. The petitioner has filed the petitions praying for the issue of a writ of declaration to nullify S.10(3)(a)(iii) and S.10(2)(ii)(b) of the Tamil Nadu Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1960, as amended in 1973 (hereinafter referred to as the Act), on the ground that they are unconstitutional.

2. The circumstances under which the petitioner has come forward with these petitions are as under : The petitioner is a Company incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956. Its head office is in Bombay and it has 150 Branches spread over all the States of the Union of India. The Branch office in Madras is situated at Door No 173, Broadway, Madras 1. The building is owned by two minor girls, viz., S.MA. Zulaika and S M.A. Rahila represented by their father. In 1970, the petitioner took the building on lease for a period of ten years. The monthly rent for the half portion owned b