BENGALURU: The High Court on Wednesday asked the state government to consider afresh the applications of around 1,500 private bus operators seeking permit to run their buses on monopoly in nationalised routes.
Quashing the August 8, 2015 order of the principal secretary of Transport Department rejecting all applications without assigning any reasons, Justice Arvind Kumar asked the government to pass the order in three months as directed by the Supreme Court.
On December 18, 2014, the apex court had asked the principal secretary of the Transport Department to hear the applications and pass a reasoned order. The secretary, however, passed an order rejecting all applications saying that the operators could not be permitted to run buses on monopoly routes.
Referring to it, the judge said the notification issued in terms of the Motor Vehicles Act in February 2015 empowers the principal secretary only to hear the applications but he cannot pass orders, as only the state government can take final call on the matter.
Till the matter is decided, the judge asked the transport authorities to consider the applications of those who do not have permit for the time being within 10 days.