Judgment

VENKATARAMIAH, J.:- On the expiry of the period of a permit to run a stage carriage on the route Jashpurnag r Ambikapur issued under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 (hereinafter referred to as the Act) in favour of the Janta Transport Co-operative Society, the petitioner and some others filed applications for the grant of the said permit before the Regional Transport Authority, Bilaspur. The Janta Transport Co-operative Society also made an application for the renewal of the permit in its favour. The application for renewal filed by the Janta Transport Co-operative Society was rejected by the Regional Transport Authority on the ground that it was barred by time. On a consideration of the relative merits of the other applicants, namely, the petitioner and others, the Regional Transport Authority granted the permit in favour of the petitioner. The said order was challenged in appeal by M/s. Ali Ahmed & Sons - respondent No. 3, which was also an applicant for the said permit before the State Transport Appellate Tribunal. The other unsuccessful applicants also filed separate appeals questioning the grant in favour of the petitioner. The State Transport Appellate Tribunal heard all