CHENNAI CITY AUTO OTTUNARGAL SANGAM AND ORS Vs. CHIEF SECRETARY STATE GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU AND ORS

JUDGEMENT

(1.) These writ petitions are at the instance of Chennai City Auto Attunargal Sangam, Vada Chennai Mavatta Auto Ottunargal Padugappu Sangam and Madras Metro Auto Drivers Association and the challenge is to the Government Order in G.O.Ms.No.611 dated 25.08.2013, whereby and where under the Government directed the Contract Carriage Autorickshaws which are fitted with electronic digital metre, should be re-calibrated according to the revised fare structure within 45 days from the date of publication of the notification. The Government issued a further notification as an appendix to the order in G.O.Ms.No.611 dated 25.08.2013 fixing minimum charges for the first 1.8 kms, additional charges per km, the detention charges and night service charges.

(2.) The Government order is challenged primarily on the ground that there are only 39 re-calibrating outlets in the city and those outlets would not be sufficient to re-calibrate 60000 auto rickshaws plying in the city of Chennai. The petitioners therefore wanted the Government to extend the time limit for re-calibration in accordance with the revised tax structure.

(3.) When these writ petitions came up for hearing on 21 October 2013, the learned Additional Government Pleader on instructions from the Joint Transport Commissioner, who was present in Court, submitted that the Government have already extended the cut-off date upto 15 November 2013 and as such there is no need to pass any interlocutory order extending the cut off period. Accordingly, I have adjourned the matter with a direction to post it today for final disposal.