JUDGMENT

Satish Chandra, J. - These companion appeals raise common questions and can be conveniently decided by a common judgment.

2. The dispute relates to Saharanpur-Muzaffarnagar via Deoband route. This route lay within the jurisdiction of the Regional Transport Authority, Meerut.

3. On 23rd March, 1959, the Meerut Authority raised the strength of this route from 16 to 25. On June 13, 1959, the Authority invited applications from Motor Operators for the grant of permits for the nine new vacancies. As many as 1095 applications were filed by a large number of persons, including the respondents. The applications were published in the Gazette of 2nd January, 1960, for inviting objections. During the pendency of these proceedings, the Meerut Authority granted some permits to displaced operators.

4. On 8th September, 1961, the State Government issued a Notification under Section 44 (1) of the Motor Vehicles Act. It created Regional Transport Authority at Dehra Dun. The districts of Dehra Dun and Saharanpur which till then lay within the jurisdiction of the Meerut Authority, were attached to the Dehra Dun Authority. The Saharanpur-Muzaffarnagar via Deoband route lay within the jurisdict