M NARASIMHULU Vs. DEPUTY TRANSPORT COMMISSIONER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) All these writ petitions involve common questions and seek substantially similar reliefs and as such are heard and disposed of by this common judgment.

(2.) All the petitioners are owners of vehicles which have a registered seating capacity in excess of six. Some of these vehicles have a registered seating capacity of 16. All the petitioners have approached the competent transport authorities seeking permission to alter the seating capacity of the vehicles to seven in all or thirteen in all, as the case may be, with a view to obtaining permits to ply their vehicles as motor cabs or maxi cabs, respectively. On the competent authority declining the petitioners' applications, they have approached this Court seeking a declaration that the action of the competent authorities in not permitting the alteration constitutes arbitrary action and for a consequential direction to the authority to alter the seating capacity of the vehicles to seven in all or thirteen in all, as the case may be, and for issuance of motor cab or maxi cab permits on the basis of such altered seating capacity, as sought,

(3.) It is represented by the learned Govt. Pleader appearing for the respondents that in many of these cases, recourse is made directly to this Court without the petitioners approaching the competent authorities in the first instance seeking alteration.