Bishan Narain, J.

1. The erstwhile Pepsu State acquired certain lands measuring about 250 acres for the purposes of establishing an institute of Technology at Patiala. Almost all the owners whose lands have been acquired have filed separate writ petitions under Article 226 of the Constitution in this Court challenging the validity of acquisition and also challenging the validity of proceedings taken thereafter culminating into awards under Section 11 of the Land Acquisition Act. These writ petitions have been filed through different counsel end on different grounds. As every ground raised applied equally to all cases, I have decided to treat all these grounds as having been raised by all the applicants. In the circumstances it will bo convenient to decide all these petitions (Civil Writs Nos. 476, 477, 478, 524, 560, 561, 562, 567, 601. 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573 615, 655, 863 and 1132 of 1957) by this judgment.

2. The facts relevant for the decision of these petitions are not in dispute. The Pepsu Gov--ernment entered into an agreement on 16-8-1955 with the trustees of the Mohini Thapar Charitable Trust (alleged to be a public trust), to establish an, institute of Engine