IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.N.RAVINDRAN MONDAY, THE 7TH FEBRUARY 2011 / 18TH MAGHA 1932 WP(C).No. 3772 of 2011(V) ------------------------------------- PETITIONER: ------------------- SHAJEE MATHEW, CHITTAPPANATTU HOUSE, MUNDAKAYAM P.O, KANJIRAPPALLY. BY ADVS. SRI.K.V.GOPINATHAN NAIR, SMT.G.CHITRA. RESPONDENTS: ------------------------ 1. THE REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY,IDUKKI, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, PIN- 685 602. 2. THE SECRETARY, REGIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY,IDUKKI, PIN- 685 602. R1 & R2 BY GOVT. PLEADER SRI. BASANTH BALAJI. THIS WRIT PETITION (CIVIL) HAVING COME UP FOR ADMISSION ON 07/02/2011,THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: prv. P.N.RAVINDRAN, J. --------------------------- W.P.(C) No. 3772 OF 2011 -------------------------- Dated this the 7th day of February, 2011 J U D G M E N T The petitioner is a stage carriage operator operating a stage carriage on the route Konnakkadu-Pooppara and another stage carriage on the route Pooppara-Konnakkadu. Exts.P1 and P2, the permits issued issued by the Regional Transport Authority, Idukki in respect of the said stage carriages, ceased to be in force on 14.2.2010 and 12.4.2010 respectively. Even before the permits expired, the petitioner applied for renewal thereof by submitting Exts.P3 and P4 applications dated 21.12.2009 to the first respondent. Since the concurrence of the sister Regional Transport Authorities is required, the permits were not renewed in time and therefore, the petitioner is presently operating service on the strength of temporary permits issued from time to time. It is stated that recently the petitioner had submitted Exts.P5 and P6 applications before the Secretary, Regional Transport Authority, Idukki to convert the class of service as super express service in accordance with the rule 2(ub) of the Kerala Motor Vehicles Rules. The petitioner states that the concurrence of the Regional Transport WPC No.3772/2011 2 Authorities at Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur have been obtained and therefore there is no impediment in the permits being renewed on a regular basis. In this writ petition, the petitioner seeks a direction to the respondents to renew Exts.P1 and P2 permits and to permit the petitioner to operate the stage carriages as super express service. 2. The pleadings and the materials on record disclose that the regular permits issued to the stage carriages run by the petitioner (Exts.P1 and P2) expired in February, 2010 and April, 2010 respectively. Even before the validity of the permits expired, the petitioner had submitted Exts.P3 and P4 applications dated 21.12.2009 for renewal of the permits. More than one year has passed thereafter. In such circumstances, if as claimed by the petitioner the concurrence of the Regional Transport Authorities at Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur has already been obtained, I find no reason why the petitioner's application for renewal of the permits should be kept pending. I accordingly dispose of this writ petition with a direction to the respondents to pass final orders on Exts.P3 and P4 applications for renewal of the permit and Exts.P5 and P6 petitions for classification WPC No.3772/2011 3 of the service as super express service expeditiously and in any event within one month from the date of production of a certified copy of this judgment if the concurrence of the Regional Transport Authorities at Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur has already been received. If concurrence has not been received till date, the Regional Transport Authority shall pass final orders on the applications within one month from the date of receipt of the concurrence from the Regional Transport Authorities concerned. P.N.RAVINDRAN, (JUDGE) vps WPC No.3772/2011 4 WPC No.3772/2011 5