- (1.) HEARD Mr. R.C. Singh, learned counsel for the petitioner as well as Mr. S.K. Kalia, Senior Advocate assisted by Mr. Y.K. Mishra, learned counsel for opposite party no.3 and Mr. Mahesh Chandra, learned counsel for U.P. State Road Transport corporation.
(2.) THE petitioners have challenged the order dated 9th March, 2006 passed by the opposite party no.2 i.e. Regional Transport Authority, Meerut (In short referred to as RTA); whereby the petitioners' regular stage carriage permits on the route Meerut-Mawana-Baisumma-Meerapur-Dewal-Bijnore (Hereinafter referred to as route in question) were cancelled as also the order dated 5th March, 2007 passed by the opposite party no.1 i.e. State Transport Appellate Tribunal U.P. Lucknow (In short referred to as STAT) in revision upholding the order passed by the opposite party no.2. Apart from route in question two other routs are relevant for consideration to decide the controversy which are known as (a) Muzaffarnagar-Bhopa-Morna-Rawalighat-Bijnore(Hereinafter referred as as ''old route') (b) Meerut-Mawana-Baisumma-Ramraj-Tarapur-Chohapur-Vidurkuti-Bijnore (hereinafter referred to as route of opposite parties)
(3.) BRIEFLY the facts of the case are that in 1989 the petitioners submitted an application for grant of regular stage carriage permits on the route in question before opposite party no.2. At that time the said regular stage carriage permits were not notified route. The opposite party no.2 by means of order dated 4-5th September, 1989 granted 21 regular stage carriage permits on the route in question and one more regular stage carriage permit to the petitioner no. 18 on 17.5.1990. Thus 22 regular stage carriage permits were granted to the petitioners.;