Supreme Court Issues Notice On Kerala SRTC's Plea Against HC Quashing Bar On Private Stage Carriages For Permits Beyond 140 KM

The Supreme Court on Friday (August 29) issued notice on a petition filed by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation challenging the Kerala High Court's verdict, which quashed the State Government's decision to deny permits to private stage carriers for routes beyond 140 kilometers.

The State of Kerala also filed a separate special leave petition against the High Court's judgment, on which also notice was issued to the private respondents.

A bench comprising Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma also issued notice on the application filed by the KSRTC seeking interim stay of the High Court's judgment.

The High Court quashed the Government's notification holding that it was issued without hearing and duly considering the objections of the affected parties as required under the relevant rules.

The order was passed in batch of writ petitions filed by private stage carriage operators challenging the proposed modified scheme, on the ground that the notification was issued without hearing the objections of the affected private bus owners operating in the existing routes.  On November 6, 2024, a single bench of Justice DK Singh passed the order. Though the State and the KSRTC filed an intra-court appeal, a division bench comprising Justice Anil K Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S dismissed the writ appeals on March 17 this year.

Case : KERALA STATE ROAD TRANSPORT CORPORATION v.RAJESH K. JACOB AND ORS.|Diary No. 36057-2025 and THE STATE OF KERALA AND ORS. v BABY JOSEPH AND ORS. Diary No. 47784-2025