( 1 ) THIS is a petition by six persons under Article 226 of the Constitution against five named respondents; the respondents to the petition are (1) The State of Uttar Pradesh, (2) The sub-Divisional Officer, Chunar, District Mirzapur, (3) Gram Samaj, Jalalpur, District Mirzapur, (4) Gram Samaj, Arazi Sultanpur, District Mirzapur, and (5) Gram Samaj, Aibakpur Muhana, district Mirzapur. The prayers that have been made by the petitioners are these: (a) that a writ of certiorari or other direction or order may be issued quashing the order dated the 24th of November 1955, passed by respondent No. 2; and (b) that a writ of prohibition, or other direction or order as the Court may deem fit be issued restraining the respondents from interfering in any way with the rights of the petitioners to the ferry situate at village Arazi Lain, Sultanpur, District Mirzapur. The petitioners also claimed an ad interim injunction, which, it may be pointed out, was granted to the petitioners by an order of this Court dated the 18th of January, 1956.

( 2 ) THE facts on which this petition has been founded briefly stated were these: the petitioners owned a private ferry which operated across t