High Court
Case Details
Court No. - 3 1 Case :- WRIT - A No. - 17959 of 2022 Petitioner :- Smt.Santosh Respondent :- State Of U.P. And 5 Others Counsel for Petitioner :- Satyendra Kumar Jaiswal Counsel for Respondent :- C.S.C. Hon'ble Surya Prakash Kesarwani,J. Hon'ble Rajendra Kumar-IV,J. 1. Heard Sri S.J. Jaiswal, learned counsel for the petitioner and Sri Virendra Kumar Gupta, learned Standing Counsel for the State-respondents. 2. This writ petition has been filed praying for following relief :- (i) issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus directing the respondents authorities to permit the petitioner to replace her old model vehicle to New Model Diesel Vehicles. (ii) issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus directing the concerned authorities not to give any effect to the resolution dated 06.01.2022 imposing General condition upon all the operators of routes whose vehicles completing their age of twenty years shall not be replaced. (iii) issue a writ, order or direction in the nature of mandamus directing the authorities not to insist the petitioner to replace her vehicle to some nature vehicle. issue any other suitable writ, order or (iv) direction which this Hon'ble Court may deem fit and proper under the facts and circumstances of the case. (v) award the cost of the petition in favour of the petitioner. 2 3. On 23.11.2022, this Court passed the following order :- “The petitioner's vehicle had a State Carriage Permit for a Non-Notified Route namely Shikohabad to Etah-via-Mustafabad. Grievance of the petitioner is that the Regional Transport Authority, Agra has on 21.09.2022 ordered that in the complete Agra region, where the petitioner is also plying, the replacement of an old vehicle by new vehicle could be done only by a Bus running on CNG. Learned Standing Counsel may take instructions as to how on the routes which are not falling under the TTZ bus owners are not being allowed the replace old vehicles, by a vehicle of their choice. Put up this case on 2.12.2022 as fresh.” 4. Today, learned Standing Counsel has produced before us instructions of the Regional Transport Authority, Agra dated 30.11.2022 which is kept on record. 5. Undisputedly, the petitioner holds a Stage Carriage Permit (Bus Permit (Plain Region)) being permit No. 2216/A/2014 granted on 19.03.2019 and valid up to 31.03.2024, for the route from Shikohabad to Etah via Rejor – Oncha – Mustfabad. The bus bearing registration No. U.P. 83 AT 1555 was covered by the aforesaid permit. The aforesaid bus of the petitioner has completed 20 years of age. Therefore, as per provisions of Section 83 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (hereinafter referred to as 3 the Act, 1988), it needs to be replaced. Section 83 of the Act,1988 is reproduced below :- 83. Replacement of vehicles.- The holder of a permit may, with the permission of he authority by which the permit was granted, replace any vehicle covered by the permit by any other vehicle of the same nature. 6. Rule 84 of the U.P. Motor Vehicle Rules, 1998 (hereinafter referred to as the U.P. Rules, 1998) providing provision for replacement of vehicles is reproduced below :- 84.Permits : Replacement of vehicle authorised by.—(1) If the holder of a permit desires at any time to replace any vehicle covered by the permit with another, he shall apply in Form SR-32 along with the fee as specified under Rule 125 to the transport authority by which the permit was issued stating the reasons why the replacement is desired and shall— (i) if the new vehicle is in his possession, forward the certificate of registration thereof, or (ii) if the new vehicle is not in his possession, state any material particular in respect of which the new vehicle will differ from the old. (2) Upon receipt of an application under sub-rule (1), the Regional Transport Authority may in its discretion reject the application— (i) if it has prior to the application given reasonable notice of its intention in accordance with the requirements of sub-section (3) of Section 71 or sub-section (3) of Section 74; or (ii) if the new vehicle proposed differs in materials respects from the old; or (iii) if the holder of the permit has contravened 4 the provisions thereof or has been deprived of possession of the old vehicle under the provisions of any agreement of hire purchase, except in cases where a forfeited vehicle is replaced by one purchased outright. (3)If the Regional Transport Authority grants an application for the replacement of vehicle under this rule, it shall call upon the holder of permit to produce the permit and the certificate of registration of the new vehicle if not previously delivered to it, and shall correct the permit accordingly under its seal and signature and return it to the holder. Section 71 (3) of the Act, 1988 provides as 7. under :- 71. Procedure of Regional Transport Authority in considering application for stage carriage permit.— (1) . . . . . . . . . . . (2) . . . . . . . . . . . (3) (a) The State Government shall, if so directed by the Central Government having regard to the number of vehicles, road conditions and other relevant matters, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct a State Transport Authority and a Regional Transport Authority to limit the number of stage carriages generally or of any specified type, as may be fixed and specified in the notification, operating on city routes in towns with a population of not less than five lakhs. (b) Where the number of stage carriages are fixed under clause (a), the Government of the State shall reserve in the State certain percentage of stage carriage permits for the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes in the same ratio as in the case of appointments made by direct recruitment to public services in the State. 5 (c) Where the number of stage carriages are fixed under clause (a), the Regional Transport Authority shall reserve such number of permits for the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes as may be fixed by the State Government under sub-clause (b). (d) After reserving such number of permits as is referred to in clause (c), the Regional Transport Authority shall in considering an application have regard to the following matters, namely:— (i) financial stability of the applicant; (ii) satisfactory performance as a stage carriage operator including payment of tax if the applicant is or has been an operator of stage carriage service; and (iii) such other matters as may be prescribed by the State Government: Provided that, other conditions being equal, preference shall be given to applications for permits from - (i) State transport undertakings; (ii) co-operative societies registered or deemed to have been registered under any enactment for the time being in force; (iii) ex-servicemen; (iv) any other class or category of persons, as the State government may, for reasons to be recorded in writing consider necessary; 8. As per aforesaid instructions of the respondent no. 2, the vehicle of the petitioner covered by the aforesaid permit has completed its age of 20 years and the route for which the permit was granted, is outside the Taz Trapezium Zone (TTZ). However, the respondent no. 2 has taken decision not to permit 6 replacement of vehicle. Relevant portion of the impugned decision of RTA dated 16.01.2022 is reproduced below :- vkxjk lEHkkx ds futh cl ekxksaZ ij jktLo fgr dks /;ku esa j[k dj dsoy lh ,u th clksa dk izfrLFkkiu fd;k tk; rFkk vkxjk lEHkkx ds Vh0Vh0tSM {ks=kUrxZr iM+us okys ekxksZ dks NksM+dj fdlh Hkh izdkj ds Mhty pkfyl ;k=h okguksa dk ijfeV ij ekWMy d.Mh'ku iw.kZ djus ij izfrLFkkiu ugha fd;k tk;A 9. The impugned decision of the RTA does not contain any reason for not permitting replacement of vehicle covered by stage carriage permit. It also does not comply with the aforequoted Rule 84 of the Rules, 1998. 10. In the instructions, the respondent no. 2 is not even sure about the reasons behind the prohibition made by the aforesaid decision of the respondent no. 2 which fact is evident from the instructions of the respondent no. 2 dated 30.11.2022, as produced before this court; which is reproduced below :- “flfoy fjV fiVh'ku la[;k 17959 vkWQ 2022 Jherh lUrks"k ;kno cuke m0iz0 jkT; o vU; ds lEcU/k essa bULVªD'ku laf{kIr fooj.k%& lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k] vkxjk dh cSBd fnukad 06-01-2022 ds en la[;k 3 ij okgu izfrLFkkiu ds lEcU/k eas izkf/kdj.k }kjk fuEu vkns'k fd;s x;s gS& ^*izkf/kdj.k us lfpo }kjk izLrqr fVIi.kh dk voyksdu fd;kA izdj.k ij ppkZ ds nkSjku ;g rF; izdk'k esa vk;k fd de lhV dh okgu izfrLFkkiu djus ls mRrj izns'k ljdkj dks dj ds :i esa jktLo dh {kfr gksxhA eksVj ;ku vf/kfu;e 1988 dh /kkjk 83 es mfYyf[kr gS fd ^*ijfeV dk /kkjd] izkf/kdkjh ftlds }kjk ijfeV vuqnRr 7
Legal Reasoning
fd;k x;k Fkk] dh vuqefr ls ijfeV }kjk vkPNkfnr fdlh ;ku dks mlh izd`fr ds fdlh nwljs ;ku ls izfrLFkkfir dj ldsxkA^* eksVj ;ku ¼i;ZVd ifjogu lapkydx.k gsrq vf[ky Hkkjrh; vuqKki=½ fu;ekoyh 1993 ds fu;e 7 ds Li"Vhdj.k esa ;g mfYyf[kr gS fd mlh izd`fr ds okgu ls ogh cSBus dh {kerk j[krh gq;h ftlds fy;s vuqKki= Lohd`r fd;k x;k gS vkSj fefJr 'kqYd lanRr fd;k x;k gS] rkRif;Zr gksxk vkSj ,slh ,d cnyh x;h okgu fdlh vU; fojpuk ;k ekWMy dh gks ldrh gSA^* izkf/kdj.k }kjk lE;d fopkjksijkUr fu.kZ; fy;k x;k fd vf/kd lhV okyh okgu ij de lhV dh okgu ls izfrLFkkiu djus dk vkosnu i=ksa dks vLohd`r fd;k tkrk gSA vkxjk lEHkkx ds futh cl ekxksaZ ij jktLo fgr dks /;ku esa j[kdj dsoy lh,uth clksa dk izfrLFkkiu fd;k tk; rFkk vkxjk lEHkkx ds Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks=kUrxZr iM+us okys ekxksZ dks NksM+dj fdlh Hkh izdkj ds Mhty pkfyr ;k=h okguksa dk ijfeV ij ekWMy d.Mh'ku iw.kZ djus ij izfrLFkkiu ugha fd;k tk;A^* iqu% lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k vkxjk dh cSBd fnukad 20-7-2022 esa futh ekxZ&jk;k ls ukSg>hy cl vkijsVlZ ;wfu;u ds v/;{k Jh nsoUnz dqekj xqIrk ds izR;kosnu fnukad 07-07-2022 ftlds }kjk mUgksaus lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k dh cSBd fnukad 06-01-2022 esa vkxjk lEHkkx ds Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks=kUrxZr iM+us okys ekxZ ij fdlh Hkh izdkj ds Mhty pkfyr eftyh okguksa ds ijfeV tkjh ugha djus ds fu.kZ; ij iquZfopkj djrs gq;s Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks=kUrxZr iM+us okys ekxksZ ij iwoZ dh HkkWfr Mhty pkfyr ;k=h okguksa dks 10 o"kZ dh vk;q lhek rd ijfeV tkjh djus dh izkFkZuk dh xbZ Fkh] ij lquokbZ djrs gq, vkns'k ikfjr fd;s x;s Fks] ftlds eq[; va'k fuEu gS& ^*v/;{k] lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k] vkxjk }kjk bl lEcU/k esa mik;qDr] [kk|] vkxjk e.My] cqykdj funZsf'kr fd;k x;k fd ekxZ jk;k&ukSg>hy ds e/; lh0,u0th0 iEi Lfkkfir fd;s tkus ds lEcU/k esa vius Lrj ls iz;kl djsa ,oa lEcfU/kr ls Hkh i=kpkj djrs gq, vko';d dk;Zokgh djk;h tk;A Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks= esa iM+us okys eaftyh xkfM+;ksa ds ekxZ] tuin fQjkstkckn esa frifg;k okguksa gsrq fu/kkZfjr f'kdksgkckn ,oa fljlkxat dsanz rFkk eSuiqjh tuin ds f?kjksj] djgy ,oa fd'kuh esa Hkh lh0,u0th0 iEi Lfkkfir fd;s tkus ds lEcU/k esa dk;Zokgh dh tk;A lfpo] lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k] vkxjk dks funsZf'kr fd;k x;k fd bl lEcU/k esa mik;qDr] [kk|] vkxjk e.My] vkxjk ls i=kpkj 8 dj d`r dk;Zokgh dh fLFkfr Kkr dj vkxkeh cSBd esa voxr djk;saA mik;qDr] [kk|] vkxjk e.My dh vk[;k izkIr gksus rd izdj.k ij fopkj LFkfxr fd;s tkus ,oa rc rd vkxjk lEHkkx esa Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks= ds vUrxZr iM+us okys ekxksZ ij Mhty pkfyr eaftyh okguksa ds LFkk;h@vLFkk;h ijfeVksa dks tkjh ugha djus rFkk Mhty pkfyr eaftyh okguksa ls izfrLFkkiu ugha fd;s tkus dk fu.kZ; fy;k x;kA^* lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k] vkxjk ds fu.kZ; fnukad 06-01-2022 ftlds }kjk Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks=kUrxZr iM+us okys ekxksZ dks NksM+dj fdlh Hkh izdkj ds Mhty pkfyr ;k=h okguksa dk ijfeV ij ekWMy d.Mh'ku iw.kZ djus ij izfrLFkkiu izfrcfU/kr fd;k x;k gS ds fo:) Jherh lUrks"k ;kno us ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky;] bykgkckn d le{k fjV ;kfpdk la0 17959 vkWQ 2022 ;ksftr dh gS] ftlesa ekuuh; mPp U;k;ky; }kjk fnukad 23-11-2022 dks lquokbZ djrs gq, mDr ;kfpdk esa 02-12-2022 ds iwoZ bULVªD'ku miyC/k djkus ds funZs'k fn;s x;s gSA okfn;k ds LFkk;h lokjh xkM+h vuqKki= la0 2216@,@2014 ekxZ&f'kdksgkckn ls ,Vk ok;k fjtksj vkWNk] eqLrQkckn ls vkPNkfnr okgu la0 ;w ih 83 , Vh 1555 viuh iath;u frfFk 22-11-1999 ls 21-11-2019 dks 20 o"kZ dh fu/kkZfjr vk;q lhek iw.kZ dj pqdh gSA izkf/kdj.k ds fu.kZ; fnukad 06-01-2022 ds vuqikyu esa mDr LFkkbZ lokjh xkM+h vuqKki= la0 2216@,@2014 ij nwljh cl dks izfrLFkkfir ugha fd;k tk ldrk gSA lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k vkxjk ds {ks=kf/kdkj ds vUrxZr vkxjk eFkqjk] fQjkstkckn ,oa eSuiqjh tuin vkrs gSA mijksDr pkjksa tuinksa esa eSuiqjh tuin Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks= ls iw.kZr;k ckgj gS rFkk eFkqjk fQjkstkckn ,oa vkxjk tuin dk dqN Hkkx Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks= esa ugha vkrk gSA ;g Hkh mYys[kuh; gS fd Vh0Vh0tSM0 izkf/kdj.k ,oa lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k esa ,d lkE; gS fd mijksDr nksuks izkf/kdj.k ds v/;{k e.Myk;qDr vkxjk gSA lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k] vkxjk ds v/;{k ds :i eas lEiw.kZ vkxjk e.My ds fy, Mhty pkfyr clksa dk izfrLFkkiu izfrcfU/kr djus dk fu.kZ; v/;{k] lEHkkxh; ifjogu izkf/kdj.k }kjk laHkor% bl dkj.k fy;k x;k fd iznw"k.k dk le; o LFky fu/kkZfjr ugha fd;k tk ldrk gSA mijksDr ekxZ&f'dksgkckn ls ,Vk ok;k fjtksj] vkWNk] eqLrQkckn dk dksbZ Hkh va'k Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks=kUrxZr ugha vkrk gSA Vh0Vh0tSM0 {ks=kUrxZr ds ckgj iM+us okys ekxksZ 9 ij lh,uth fQfyax Lvs'ku dh LFkkiuk fudV Hkfo"; esa lEHkkfor gSA okgu lh0,u0th0 ls lapkfyr gks ;k Mhty ls bldk jktLo ij dksbZ izHkko ugha iM+rk gS] djkjksi.k lhfVax {kerk ij fuHkZj djrk gSA g0 viBuh; lEHkkxh; ifjogu vf/kdkjh vkxjkA 11. Thus, the impugned portion of the decision of the RTA dated 06.01.2022, as aforequoted, cannot be sustained to the extent it relates to replacement of the vehicle for the route falling outside the TTZ area. 12. For all the reasons aforestaed, the matter is remitted back to the respondent no. 2 to take decision afresh in accordance with law in the light of the relevant provisions of the Act, 1988 and U.P. Motor Vehicles Rules, 1998 after affording reasonable opportunity of hearing to the petitioner.
Decision
13. The writ petition is disposed of. Order Date :- 8.12.2022 Manoj