Judgment

Srinivasan, J.-Leave granted.

The common questions which arise for decision in these cases depend on the interpretation of Rule 258 of the Andhra Pradesh Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (for short, the ‘Rules’) which is in the following terms :-

“Rule 258 :-

Fixation of Stages for Carriages

1. In the case of stage carriage, the Regional Transport Authority shall, after consultation with such other authority as it may deem desirable, fix stages on all bus routes except town service. The maximum distance of each stage shall not ordinarily exceed 6.4 kilometres. When stages are so fixed, fares shall be collected accord­ing to stages.

Explanation :- When a passenger gets into or gets down from a stage carriage at a place lying in between two stages, he shall pay the fare from the stage preceding the place where he gets into the bus to the stage succeeding the place where he gets down.

2. The Regional Transport Authority shall, subject to the following restrictions, determine which are town service routes.

(i) at least one terminus of every town service shall lie within the limits of a municipality or any built up place notified in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette as ‘town