Judgment

GAJENDRAGADKAR, C.J.I.: These five appeals arise out of five writ petitions filed by the respective respondents in the Andhra Pradesh High Court against the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation, and the State of Andhra Pradesh, appellants 1 and 2, challenging the validity of the orders passed by appellant No. 2 under S. 68D(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act (No. 1 of 1939) (hereinafter called the Act) on the 18th October, 1960 approving schemes for the nationalisation of bus transport in the area of Guntur. It appears that appellant No. 1 published in the Andhra Pradesh Gazette on the 26th May, 1960 ten schemes in respect of the area of Guntur for the purpose of taking over that road transport services from private operators under Chapter IVA of the Act. Objections were then called for from persons affected by the schemes, and the then Minister in charge of Transport Mr. S. P. B. Pattalhi Rama Rao, heard the said objections and ultimately approved the schemes with certain minor modifications on the 18th October, 1960. In the result, he ordered that the schemes should come into force on the dates specified in the Government Orders. These schemes were duly notified unde