High Court quashes GO refusing route permits to pvt buses

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday quashed the government order (GO) refusing route permits for private buses to operate across the state.

Over 1,000 private bus owners had challenged the order dated August 5, 2015. Justice Aravind Kumar heard more than thousand petitions filed by private vehicle operators questioning the government order.

The order denied route permits for private vehicles to ply across the state under the `modified scheme.’ Petitioners contended that the principal secretary, Transport department had taken the decision without any consultation and without bringing it to the notice of the Council of Ministers.

Quashing the government order, the judge in his order referred certain petitions to the principal secretary, Transport department. Justice Kumar asked the principal secretary to hear these petitions afresh and dispose them of in three months.  The judge in another set of petitions, which sought directions for temporary permits, directed petitioners to fie appropriate applications before the jurisdictional State Transport Authority.

He also directed authority concerned to consider such applications on merit and to pass order within 10 days. The authority should also ensure that these permits are valid till the pending of matter before the high court and the Karnataka State Appellate Tribunal for a period of four months.   

Notice to govt

The high court on Wednesday ordered notice to the state government in a petition filed by in-service government doctors with MBBS qualification.

These doctors had sought directions for reservation in PG medical seats. Petitioners have contended that like reservation of medical seats for NRI students, there must be reservation for government MBBS doctors who want to pursue post-graduation. Hearing the petition, a division bench comprising Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice N K Sudhindra Rao ordered notice to the government.