IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA

CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION

CIVIL APPEAL NO.6915 OF 2009 (Arising out of S.L.P. (C) No.6084 of 2005)

K. Pydichatti Naidu (Dead) Thr. L.Rs.      ...Appellant(s)

Versus

A.P.S.R.T.C. & Anr.                    ...Respondent(s)

O  R  D  E  R

Leave granted.

By consent, the matter taken up for hearing and  

disposed of.

By judgement reported in the case of Andhra Pradesh  

State  Road  Transport  Corporation vs.  Regional  Transport  

Authority & Anr. (2005 (4) S.C.C.391), the Constitution  

Bench  of  this  Court  took  the  view  that  all  private  

operators,  including  those  operating  on  town  service  

routes, shall stand excluded from the Scheme, subject to  

certain  exceptions.   The  Constitution  Bench  thereafter  

remitted the case to the Division Bench of the High Court  

to consider whether the case of the operator came within  

the exception.

By order dated 26th July, 2005, the Division Bench  

in  case  of  Regional  Manager,  A.P.S.R.T.C. vs.  G.  

Hanumantha Rao & Ors. (Civil Appeal No.1674 of 1996) came  

to the  conclusion  that only  existing operators  on  the

...2/-

- 2 -  

notified  routes were  eligible for  permits.  However, a  

caveat was added, namely, that in case of fresh or future  

applicants  falling  in  certain  excluded  categories,  the  

operators  would be  eligible for  permits.  Applying the  

above test, the Division Bench remitted the case to the  

High Court.

Following the same principle in this case also, we  

remit the case to the High Court to ascertain whether the  

case of the appellant falls within the exceptions carved  

out in the judgement of this Court in  Regional Transport  

Authority & Anr. (supra).

The civil appeal stands disposed of accordingly.

No order as to costs.

......................J.            [S.H. KAPADIA]

......................J.            [AFTAB ALAM]

New Delhi, October 09, 2009.