( 1 ) THE circumstances in which this application under Articles 226 and 227 of the constitution of India has been filed are that the petitioner-company held stage carriage permits for three routes, namely, (1) Administration Office of Bhilai Steel constructions to Sambalpur, via Durg. Balod; (2) Balod-Dhamtari via Gurur and karhibadar; and (3) Durg-Raipur. When these permits were about to expire in 1962, the petitioner filed applications for their renewal before the Regional transport Authority, Raipur. The respondent No. 3. Janata Motor Transport Cooperative society Ltd. , Durg (hereinafter referred to as the Society) also applied for the grant of fresh permits to it in respect of the routes (1) and (2) mentioned above in lieu of the permits held by the petitioner company. The applicant-company preferred objections to the grant of permits to the respondent-society, Both the renewal applications of the petitioner and the applications of the respondent No. 3 were taken up for consideration by the Regional Transport Authority on 31st December 1962, and on 3rd January 1963 the said Authority made an order refusing to renew the permits of the petitioner on all the aforesa