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1956 Supreme(All) 100

IN THE HIGH COURT OF ALLAHABAD
Mehrotra, J.
MOHAMMAD RAIHAN - Appellant
Versus
STATE OF UTTAR PRADESH - Respondents
Civil Misc. Writ 933 Of 1954
Decided On : 04/23/1956

Advocates Appeared:
S.S.DHAVAN

Headnote:

MOTOR VEHICLES ACT - SECTION 47 - GRANT OF STAGE CARRIAGE PERMIT - CONSIDERATIONS - REJECTION OF APPLICATION ON GROUNDS NOT COVERED BY SECTION 47 - JURISDICTION - DISCRETION OF REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY - ALTERNATIVE REMEDY - ADEQUACY - RELIEF - DIRECTION TO GRANT PERMIT.

Fact of the Case:

The petitioner, Mohammad Raihan, applied for a stage carriage permit, which was rejected by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) and the State Transport Authority (STA). The petitioner filed a writ petition in the High Court challenging the rejection of his application.

Finding of the Court:

The High Court held that the RTA's rejection of the petitioner's application was without jurisdiction and liable to be quashed. The Court found that the RTA had rejected the application on grounds that were not covered by Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which sets out the considerations to be taken into account when deciding whether to grant or refuse a stage carriage permit. The Court also held that the alternative remedy of an appeal to the STA was not adequate in the circumstances of the case, as the petitioner had already been prejudiced by the delay in processing his application.

Issues: 1. Whether the RTA's rejection of the petitioner's application was without jurisdiction? 2. Whether the alternative remedy of an appeal to the STA was adequate in the circumstances of the case? 3. What relief was the petitioner entitled to?

Ratio Decidendi: 1. The RTA's rejection of the petitioner's application was without jurisdiction because it was based on grounds that were not covered by Section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act. 2. The alternative remedy of an appeal to the STA was not adequate in the circumstances of the case, as the petitioner had already been prejudiced by the delay in processing his application. 3. The petitioner was entitled to a direction from the High Court to the RTA to grant him a stage carriage permit.

Final Decision: The High Court allowed the petition, quashed the RTA's order rejecting the petitioner's application, and directed the RTA to grant the petitioner a stage carriage permit.


MEHROTRA, J.

( 1 ) THE petitioner Mohammad Raihan had applied for a stage carriage permit which was rejected by the Regional Transport Authority, Meerut. An appeal was filed to the State Transport authority and the decision of the Regional Transport Authority was confirmed by the State transport Authority. An application under Article 226 of the Constitution was thereafter filed in this Court for a writ of certiorari quashing the order o the Regional Transport Authority refusing the stage carriage permit to the petitioner and also for a mandamus commanding the regional Transport Authority to grant a permit in favour of the applicant. By my order dated 25-2-1955, the petition was allowed, the order of the Regional Transport authority was quashed and the Regional Transport Authority was directed to Consider the application of the petitioner for the grant of a permit and it was directed further not to reject it on the ground that there was adequate transport service on the route. The application remained pending for some time and no orders were passed by the Regional Transport Authority. Thereafter an application was made on 25-7-1955 to this Court praying that a direction be issued to the Regional Transport Authority to carry out the orders and directions of this Court. The Standing Counsel however, took time to take the necessary instructions from his client. On a subsequent date, the Standing Counsel gave an undertaking that the application would be disposed of by the Regional Transport Authority by 21-10-1955. Thereafter on 18-10-1955, the regional Transport Authority rejected again the petitioners application for a permit and an application was made to this Court praying that the reliefs claimed in the Misc. Appln. made on 25-7-1955, which was numbered as 1127 of 1955 (All) (A) be allowed to be amended. By amendment it was prayed that the order of the Regional Transport Authority dated 18-10-1955 refusing the permit to the petitioner be quashed and further a writ of mandamus be issued commanding the opposite party to grant a permit to the petitioner. Notice was issued to the opposite parties, the State of Uttar Pradesh and the Regional Transport Authority, Meerut and the Standing Counsel took time to file a counter-affidavit. A counter-affidavit was filed on behalf of the State and the Regional Transport Authority. The Regional Transport Authority in its order elated 18-10-1955 has stated that as another writ petition filed by Ved Singh Sohan Vir Singh, which was of similar nature, was pending before the Luck-now Bench, the consideration of the petitioners application was postponed till the final decision in that petition. The petition before the Lucknow Bench was disposed of on 2-7-1955 and thereafter the present application was considered. The Regional Transport Authority further remarked that there were two vacancies on the route and two buses on temporary permits were plying against those vacancies. As the applicant was only a driver and not even a recently displaced operator, his application could not be granted. It was observed by the Regional Transport Authority that there were many others who were recently displaced operators and had more experience and claim than the applicant. It was, therefore, not in the public interest to grant a permit to the applicant who was a fresh comer as against those who were old operators and had a longer standing and experience. As there were no suitable applicants the application was rejected. A counter-affidavit has been filed in which it is stated that the Regional Transport Authority, after consideration, has rejected the application of the petitioner on merits and has exercised its discretion bona fide. The main contention raised by the petitioner in the present petition is that the application of the petitioner has been rejected on grounds which are extraneous to the considerations under the Act. Section 47, Motor Vehicles Act provides:

"47 (1 ). A Regional Transport Authority sha








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