S.D.Agrawal, J. - (1.) This is a petition under Article 226 of the Constitution. The facts, in detail, which have given rise to the present petition, are as under.
(2.) The route in question is, Haldwani-Bazpur-Rampur via Kala Dongisuar. This route is an inter regional route and the major portion of it lies within the jurisdiction of the Regional Transport Authority, Nainital. The other portion of route lies within the juris-diction of the Regional Transport Authority, Bareilly.
(3.) An agreement wag entered into between the two transport authorities and was agreed that four stage carriages under an equal number of regular permits should operate on the route. The Regional Transport Authority, Nainital, under whose jurisdiction the major portion of the route lay, invited applications for the grant of these four permanent stage carriage permits. In pursuance of the said invitation, 138 persons, including the petitioners Nos. 1 to 3 and respondents NOS. 2 aad 3, made applications. All these applications were published in the Gazette, as required by Section 57 (3) of the Motor Vehicles Act. 1939 (hereinafter referred to as the Act).;