Punjab & Haryana HC refuses to stay Capt Amarinder govt's mini bus permit drive
Punjab & Haryana High Court on Tuesday rejected the plea of the existing private mini bus operators for a stay on receipt of applications
Chandigarh: The Punjab & Haryana High Court on Tuesday rejected the plea of the existing private mini bus operators for a stay on receipt of applications by the Punjab Government for grant of new mini bus permits.
The existing operators had challenged the grant of new permits, as announced by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh in line with his government’s commitment to check monopoly and undue profiteering in the transport business, and had sought a stay on receipt of applications for the same.
Defending the stand of the Government, Rameeza Hakeem, Additional Advocate General Punjab, contended that the petition by existing mini bus operators was nothing but a ruse to keep new operators out, cartelize rural transport, and maintain the monopoly of current bus operators, many of whom had been operating on routes for the past 25 years without any healthy competition.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had, during the Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly, announced the issuance of 5000 mini-bus permits, and the Transport Department had accordingly issued public notices inviting applications for grant of such permits. The process was initiated in early March 2020 through a public drive.
The matter has been listed for further hearing in August, after completion of pleadings by the new applicants.