ORDER:- The petitioners in each of the above writ petitions are companies or firms conducting chit funds of all classes in the State of Pondicherry and the present writ petitions are for the issue of a writ of Mandamus restraining the Union Territory of Pondicherry from enforcing the provisions of the Pondicherry Chit Funds Act 1966. Under the Constitution (Fourteenth Amendment) Act, 1962, Pondicherry was constituted as a Union territory and de jure transfer of Pondicherry State to the Indian Union was made on 16-8-1962. The Legislative Assembly of the Union Territory of Pondicherry constituted under Section 18 of the Government of Union Territory Act 1963, has made the Pondichery Chit Funds Act 1966 which received the assent of the President on 14-2-1967 and became law on 1-10-1967. The provisions of the said Act were enforced and the present writ petitions are filed for the aforesaid relief.

2. All the petitions are of the same pattern and we shall take up the allegations in W.P. 1068 of 1969. The system of chit funds has been in existence for over 100 years. Broadly stated, the petitioners are carrying on business in the shape of chit running transactions. The person who