The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered notice on a writ petition seeking a direction to authorities to pass orders on pending applications for autorickshaw permits pursuant to G.Os issued in the past before passing orders on applications received after the issuing of a G.O in May.
The petitioner, Chennai City Auto Consultants and Financiers Welfare Association, said the Tamil Nadu government had issued a G.O in December 2005 directing the State Transport Authority cum Transport Commissioner to grant 5,000 autorickshaw permits.
Following filing of cases in the High Court, the government issued various G.Os on the issue. Finally, It issued a G.O. dated May 13. It had already received about 8,000 applications.
The petitioner contended that when a good number of applications seeking autorickshaw permits had been filed from 2005 with the prescribed fees, the authorities could not consider the fresh applications.
About 25,000 applications were pending since 2005. The G.O. issued in May was not supported by proper guidelines.
When enquiries were made, the authorities had made caustic remarks. The department was not inclined to take up the pending applications. It demonstrated arbitrariness and was violative of Article 14 of the Constitution. When the matter came up before a vacation Bench, comprising Justices N. Paul Vasanthakumar and M.M. Sundresh, the Government Pleader took notice.
The Bench posted the matter for June 8 for filing of counter.
