HC imposes costs of Rs 5000 on Madurai division MD

In a judgment that could have an impact on Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation,the Madras High Court today imposed a cost of Rs.5000 on the Managing Director of the Madurai Division of the Corporation division, for plying a spare bus illegally without any permit.
Justice S.Vaidhyanathan of the Madurai Bench, disposing a petition filed by a private bus operator between Madurai and Palani, said the Regional Transport Authority (Madurai Collector) and the Regional Transport Officers of Virudhunagar and Madurai could not have different yardstick for the corporation and private operators, and permit the corporation to ply vehicles without permit.
The fine amount should be paid within two months to the Chief Justice Relief fund for Nepal Earthquake victims.

The records showed that the TNSTC Madurai division had obtained temporary permit only after the private bus operator C.Nagarathinam, the petitioner, objected to the operation of service from Srivilliputhur to Coimbatore,via Madurai, Sempatti and Palani.
The timing of the TNSTC's illegal plying was the same as the timings of the private bus service between Madurai and Palani affecting his revenue. In fact the private bus operator claimed that he was operating the bus on the route for the past five decades,the judge said.
Records showed that the corporation had operated buses without obtaining temporary permit earlier on the same route, the judge said.

The petitioner wanted action to be taken against the corporation and also not to allow TNSTC to operate bus on the route in the timings which clashed with that of his bus service.
TNSTC could be permitted to operate the bus on the route, if there are no legal impediment, in the timings other than the timing selected by the petitioner,the judge said.