JUDGMENT

R.C. Lahoti, J.—A draft scheme under Section 68-C of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 to nationalise Saharanpur-Shahdra-Delhi route, prepared by Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, Lucknow was published on 29.9.1959. The Allahabad High Court by its judgments dated 31.10.1961 and 7.2.1962 upheld the scheme as against 50 operators but quashed the same as against 50 operators holding that they should be granted an opportunity of hearing. These 50 operators were those who had laid challenge to the validity of the scheme by filing two groups of writ petitions consisting of 32 and 18 operators respectively. Judgments of Allahabad High Court were upheld by this Court in Jeewan Nath Wahal v. State Transport Appellate Tribunal1. Out of these 50 operators some of them filed suits in different courts and by virtue of interim orders they were successful in scuttling the hearing and keeping the scheme pending for well over 20 years. The matter came up before this Court in Shri Chand v. Government of U.P.2 - wherein vide its judgment dated 23.8.1985 a two-Judges Bench of this Court directed the scheme to be quashed solely on the ground that the delay of 26 years in disposing of t