( 1 ) IN these two Writ Petitions, the constitutional validity of Section 129-A of the MOTOR VEHICLES ACT, 1988, is questioned.

( 2 ) THE petitioners are holders and operators of All India Tourist omnibus permits granted by the State Transport Authority, under Section 63 (7) of the Act. These permits enable these vehicles, which are contract carriages as defined by the Act, to operate throughout the length and width of India. According to the petitioners, these permits were granted by each state in pursuance of a scheme evolved by the Central Government with a view to promote tourism in the country. For the State of Andhra Pradesh the number fixed is said to be 50 According to the Central Government Notification, the number of seats in the vehicle, the type of seats, and construction of the bus are all prescribed. The petitioners say that most of their vehicles are of the latest model, each costing about Rs. 4, 00. 000/- and that, some of them are even air-conditioned at an additional cost of Rs. 1,50, 000/- for each vehicle They say that the buses are provided with tape-recorders, fans, radios, and ice boxes etc. , since they are meant mostly for long-distance t