- (1.) During pendency of writ petition, we are informed that petitioners 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15 and 16 have died long back and, therefore, writ petition has abated in respect of these petitioners including criminal proceedings initiated against them.
(2.) The proceedings in question as also the dispute in the present writ petition is now surviving only in respect of petitioners 1, 2, 4, 5, 12, 13 and 14 only.
(3.) Sri Prashant Chandra, learned Senior Advocate, assisted by Sri Rahul Mishra and Sri Sudeep Kumar, Advocates, have appeared for petitioners; Sri R.C. Yadav, learned Standing Counsel for respondent- 1; and, Dr. H.N. Tripathi, Advocate, has appeared for respondent-2.;