DHARMARAO ELIPE, J.

1. These writ petitions question the decision of the State Government to distribute a free Colour Television set (in short ‘CTV‘) to each and every household in the state of Tamil Nadu which did not possess the same on the ground that the expenditure to be incurred by the state Government for the purchase of the CTVs for free distribution is unauthorised, impermissible and ultra vires the Constitutional provisions.

2. The eighth respondent, one of the major political parties in the State of Tamil Nadu, in its election manifesto for the Assembly Elections, 2006 had announced inter alia that a free CTV set would be distributed to each and every household in the State of Tamil Nadu which did not possess the same, if it were, voted to power. The President of the said political party while releasing the partys manifesto declared that distribution of free CTVs was for the purpose of providing recreation and general knowledge to the household women more particularly those living in the rural areas. The political allies of the eighth respondent also supported the distribution of free CTVs to each and every household in the State of Tamil Nadu.

3. The eight r