V. RAMASUBRAMANIAN, J.

Challenging a spate of directions issued by the learned judge in a writ petition, for the preparation of an electoral roll and the conduct of free and fair elections to a Jumma Mosque, the Ad hoc Management Committee of the Mosque has come up on Appeal.

2. We have heard Mr. A.L. Somayaji, learned senior counsel appearing for the appellant, Mr. Veera. Karthiravan, learned counsel appearing for the first respondent and Mr. V. Lakshminarayanan, learned counsel appearing for the respondents 2 and 3.

3. A Wakf was created by one L.K. Sheik Mohammed, in Kayapattinam Town, Tuticorin District, in the year 1958 and a property purchased by him in 1957 was dedicated to the Wakf by a registered deed dated 10.12.1958. The first General Council meeting of the wakf was held on 3.6.1960, with 366 members and a set of bye-laws were framed on 29.7.1960. Till the founder was alive, the Management of the Wakf was quite smooth for more than three decades, till the year 1992.

4. In 1993, a Petition was filed before the Tamil Nadu Wakf Board against the Committee of Management, seeking fresh elections. On the said Petition, the Board passed an order dated 18.4.1998, which becam