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The respondents are inculpated of having trespassed into the land of the petitioners on 22.05.2012 and started the process of digging the land with police help. The petitioners are stated to have approached this Court even earlier, vide a Civil Writ Petition No. 11770 of 2012 (PIL), for quashing the notifications issued under Sections 3 (1) and 6 of the Act. This Court directed the respondents no. 1 to 6 to supply the copy of notifications to petitioner no.1. Accordingly, he was supplied copies of all the notifications as well as a copy of the plan of the proposed gas pipeline. Thus, vide this petition, the said notifications under Sections 3 and 6 of the Act are being assailed and prayed to be quashed.

Respondents no. 8 and 9, though filed their separate written statements, but pleaded that they have unnecessarily been arrayed as parties by name. It is averred, that grievance being expressed by the petitioners against them was wholly misplaced as they fully co-operated with the petitioners to the extent possible.

Respondents no. 11 to 13 have also filed their separate written statements. Respondent no. 11 (Deputy Commissioner, Ludhiana) maintained that pursuant to the representation dated 21.05.2012, made by respondent no. 2, the answering respondent recommended for police help vide letter dated 21.05.2012 to the Commissioner of Police, Ludhiana. The request letter by Chief Manager, GAIL (India) Ltd. and the forwarding letter issued by the office of Deputy Commissioner were annexed as Annexures R-11/A and R-11/B. Respondents no. 12 and 13, however, inter alia, stated that it was pursuant to the orders dated 07.03.2012 passed by the learned District Magistrate, Ludhiana, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Assistant Commissioner of Police and Station House Officer, Dehlon were deputed to ensure the maintenance of law and order by Commissioner of Police.

This enactment and the provisions therein have endured the test of time. We do not find this restriction to be invalid or unconstitutional. We may point out, nothing indeed could be demonstrated to substantiate anything to the contrary.

Learned counsel for the petitioners referred to a letter dated 21.05.2012 (Annexure R-11/A), annexed with the written statement of respondent no. 11. Vide this letter, Chief Manager, GAIL (India) Ltd. had requested the Deputy Commissioner, District Ludhiana for administrative help/police protection for completion of the balance pipelines' laying work.