(1.) These Writ Appeals have a long drawn story of litigation between the parties extended over a period of almost 20 months during which petitions were filed and withdrawn again filed on the same set of facts seeking similar reliefs followed by appeals before this Court and even four S. L. Ps before the Hon'ble Supreme Court, all of them dismissed by the Supreme Court. Even review petitions were dismissed. This is after long drawn litigation relation to dis-qualification incurred by the Respondent M.L. As. that the present petition has been brought and the learned Single Judge by order dated 28.2.97 holding there is a cause of action for maintaining the Writ petition thereby unsettling settled position as regards disqualifications of Respondents 15 to 17 and one Shri T. Gouzadou from being Members of the Manipur State Legislative Assembly. It is against this order that the present Appeals have been filed.
(2.) To appreciate the points involved, it is necessary to note the events which lead to the disqualifications and also the long pending litigation proceeding to file this Appeal.
(3.) Writ Appeal No. 161/97 arises out of JUDGMENT & ORDER dated 6th March, 1997 passed in Civil Misc. Case No. 132/97 arising out of Civil Rule No. 168/97, by a learned Single Judge of this Court at Imphal, while Writ Appeal No. 160/97 is directed against the JUDGMENT & ORDER dated 6th March, 1997 passed in Civil Misc. Case No. 131/97 in Civil Rule No. 245/97 by a learned Single Judge of this Court at Imphal. Both these appeals are closely interlinked and the questions of law involved are also identical. In both these appeals, the President, Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (I) and the Speaker, Manipur Legislative Assembly are common parties as appellant and respondent, respectively.