(1.) In this batch of writ petitions, there are two competing claims by two sets of persons. In W.P. Nos. 17498/2009 & 919/2010, some public-spirited persons and an organization have presented before the Court a serious question of public importance pertaining to protection of wildlife in the Bandipur National Park and Tiger Reserve Area. The other set of writ petitions bearing W.P. Nos. 26621-629/2009 are by persons carrying on transport business with valid permit to run the buses plying through certain specified areas including the Bandipur National Park Area.
(2.) During the pendency of these writ petitions, various persons have come up with applications to implead themselves claiming that they are also interested in airing their grievance before this Court. These applicants include the Kerala Road Transport Corporation by its Managing Director; State of Kerala represented by its Secretary, Transport Department; State of Tamilnadu represented by the District Collector; District Collector, Nilagiri District, Udhagamandalam; Sri M.I. Shanavas, Member of Parliament, Wayanad Constituency, Kozhikode District; and Sri M.K. Raghavan, Member of Parliament, Kozhikode Constituency, State of Kerala.
(3.) Brief facts necessary for appreciating the questions involved including the nature of the reliefs sought in these writ petitions and the background setting for the same are stated as under: