Judgement

SHAH, J.: In 1957 the Regional Transport Authority, Jabalpur granted to Messrs Bundelkhand Motor Transport Company, Nowgaon-hereinafter called the appellant - a permit under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 to ply stage carriages on an interregional route-Jabalpur to Chattarpur-in the State of Madhya Pradesh, and the permit was counter-signed by the Regional Transport Authority, Rewa, within whose jurisdiction a part of the route lay. The permit was renewed in 1960 for a period of three years expiring on August 9, 1963 by the Regional Transport Authority, Jabalpur, and it was counter-signed by the Regional Transport Authority, Rewa. On June 7, 1963 the appellant applied to the Regional Transport Authority, Jabalpur, for renewal of the permit, and order, dated December 6, 1963 the permit was renewed for the period ending February 9, 1966. By its application, dated December 7, 1963 the appellant requested the Regional Transport Authority, Rewa, to counter-sign the permit so renewed. This application was published as required by S. 57 read with S. 63 (3) of the Act on January 2, 1964. Three motor transport operators, amongst whom was the first respondent Behari Lal Chaurasia, ob