1. In this petition under Article 226 of the Constitution read with Section 491 of the Criminal Procedure Code, the prayer is for issuing a writ in the nature of habeas corpus directing the respondents, the State of Punjab and the Police Officials in-charge of Police Station Beas to set at liberty S. Gian Singh Rarewala and S. Basant Singh from their alleged illegal detention at the Police Station Beas in the District of Amritsar. The petitioner S. Baldev Singh, who was Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha prior to the last mid-term election, claims to be a friend of the detenus S. Gian Singh Rarewala and S. Basant Singh. S. Gian Singh Rarewala was at one time a Chief Minister in the erstwhile State of Pepsu. S. Basant Singh is a Member of the Legislative Assembly and Secretary of the Punjab Unit of the Swantantra Party.

2. S. Darshan Singh Pheruman, who undertook a fast to press the claim of the Punjab for the inclusion of the Union Territory of Chandigarh in that State, died on 27th October, 1969, at Amritsar. The next day his dead body was taken to his village Pheruman, about 25 miles away, and cremated there. In accordance with the religious custom his ashes were t