UTTAM T DHUMAL Vs. REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY PUNE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) WE have heard the learned Counsel for the appellants, learned Advocate General for State and the learned Counsel appearing for Pune Municipal Corporation. We have also perused the record of the case including the impugned order of the learned Single Judge.

(2.) THE appellants are the owners of what are known as Six Seater Auto Rickshaws, who were earlier allowed to ply within the entire limits of Pune Municipal Corporation. They are all holders of individual contract carriage permits issued by the respondent No. 1 Regional Transport Authority (RTA ). The appellants have impugned before the learned Single Judge the decision taken by the State Transport Authority (STA) on 9-6-1998 to restrict the plying of 6 + 1 Seater Auto Rickshaws outside all Municipal Corporation areas so that they do not ply within the city corporation limits. Certain other incidental directions were also given by the STA.

(3.) PURSUANT to the communication by the STA, the RTA Pune in its meeting held on 5-2-1999 took a decision to allow Six Seater Autorickshaw permit holders to ply their vehicles outside the erstwhile limits of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation in the rest of the Pune district. This decision of the STA and RTA was challenged before the State Transport Appellate Tribunal. By order dated 7-4-2000 the Tribunal upheld the notice and dismissed the appeals. The appellants then approached this Court by filing writ petitions which were heard by the learned Single Judge and were ultimately dismissed.