The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu government to file its counter by three weeks to petitions challenging the bus fare hike, which came into effect from November 18.
The First Bench comprising Chief Justice M.Y.Eqbal and Justice T.S.Sivagnanam passed the order on two petitions.
In his petition, a social activist, K.R.Ramaswamy alias ‘Traffic' Ramaswamy said that the bus fare increase should be done in a proper manner as per law.
The other petitioner, P.Pugalenthi, an advocate of George Town here, said the government's every decision touching public utility service like transport should be published in accordance with law.
Shockingly, the address of the Chief Minister was taken to be the government's decision by everyone. Because of the fare hike, the public was being “harassed beyond words.”
He narrated an incident in which a construction worker had to get down from the bus as she did not have enough money to purchase the ticket.
Mr.Pugalenthi said any “disproportionate increase” in bus fare would affect the fundamental right of the people to have access to work, food, hospitals and courts. The hike was not published in the gazette or in newspapers. The public who used public transport should have been informed in advance about the fare hike.
He prayed that the court restrain the authorities from implementing the increase in the bus fares.
