( 1 ) THIS is a petition filed by the petitioners seeking quashing of the amendment in the M. P. Essential Commodities (Exhibition of Prices and Price Control) Order, 1977, by which milk was included in the schedule to that order and also for quashing of the orders passed by the Collector, Jabalpur, No. 1984/khadya/84 and No. 2006/khadya/84, both dated 4th August, 1984, and also for a direction to restrain the respondents from enforcing the impugned orders by compelling the petitioners to sell milk at the rate of Rs. 5/- per litre according to these orders.

( 2 ) ACCORDING to the petitioners, petitioner No. 1 is a society registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1973, and this society has been formed to safeguard the interests of dairy owners and other persons who carry on the business of keeping milking animals, maintaining dairy, producing milk and selling milk at Jabalpur. It is also alleged that this society is also authorised to represent the milk producers of Jabalpur before the authorities and also to file petitions.

( 3 ) ACCORDING to the petitioners, petitioners Nos. 2 to 12 are carrying on the business of keeping milking animals, producing milk an