M. Sundar, J.

1. All these five writ petitions arise out of a common factual matrix and raise a common central issue. Therefore, we propose to dispose of all these five writ petitions by this common order. For appreciating this common order, it is necessary to set out the factual matrix in a nutshell and we do so infra.

2. FACTUAL MATRIX IN A NUTSHELL:

2(a) The common central issue that all these five writ petitions raise is whether nomination of three individuals as Members of Puducherry Legislative Assembly is valid. In other words, the central theme of these five writ petitions is validity, legality and propriety of nomination of three individuals as Members of Legislative Assembly of Puducherry.

2(b) One writ petition has been filed as a Public Interest Litigation ('PIL' for brevity), i.e., W.P.No.18788 of 2017 by an individual, who is a voter in one of the assembly constituencies of Puducherry Union Territory. Another writ petition, i.e., W.P.No.16275 of 2017 has been filed by the Chief Government Whip in the Puducherry Legislative Assembly. Three writ petitions being W.P.Nos.29591 to 29593 of 2017 have been filed by three individuals nominated as Members of Puducherry Legi