Narayan S/O Shrikrishna Pote vs State Of Maharashtra Through Its ...

Citation : 2017 Latest Caselaw 4251 Bom
Judgement Date : 10 July, 2017

Bombay High Court
Narayan S/O Shrikrishna Pote vs State Of Maharashtra Through Its ... on 10 July, 2017
Bench: V.A. Naik
 1007WP754.15-Judgment                                                                          1/2


              IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY
                        NAGPUR BENCH, NAGPUR.

                       WRIT PETITION NO.  754  OF    2015

 PETITIONER :-                        Narayan s/o ShriKrishna Pote, aged about 61
                                      years, Occ. - business, R/o. Bus Stand Kothi
                                      Bazar, Dist. Betul, Madhya Pradesh.

                                         ...VERSUS... 

 RESPONDENTS :-                  (1) State of Maharashtra, through its Secretary,
                                     State   Transport   Authority,   Maharashtra,
                                     Mumbai. 
                                 (2) Commissioner   of   Transport,   Administrative
                                     Building,   3rd  &   4th  Floor,   Bandra   (E),
                                     Mumbai-51.
                                 (3) Regional Transport Officer, Nagpur (Rural)
                                     Lal   Godown,   Indora   Square,   In   front   of
                                     Police Head Quarters, Nagpur.   
                                 (4) The   Secretary,   State   Transport   Authority,
                                     Motimahal, Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. 
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                      Shri R.D.Khade, counsel for the petitioner.
       Mr.I.J.Damle, Asstt.Govt.Pleader for the respondent Nos.1 to 3.
 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                        CORAM : SMT. VASANTI    A    NAIK & 
                                                    ARUN  D. UPADHYE
                                                                     ,   JJ.

DATED : 10.07.2017 O R A L J U D G M E N T (Per Smt.Vasanti A Naik, J.) Heard.

We find that the issue involved in the writ petition was also involved in a bunch of writ petitions that were decided by the Aurangabad Bench of this court on 11/03/2016. By the said judgment, ::: Uploaded on - 11/07/2017 ::: Downloaded on - 13/07/2017 00:40:38 ::: 1007WP754.15-Judgment 2/2 the court had held that the respondents do not have the authority in law to levy and demand passenger tax at the rate of 70% of the load factor of the seating capacity of the passenger transport vehicle as it is contrary to the provisions of the Act of 1958. After declaring so, it was held that 50% of the demanded tax that was paid by the petitioners in the said writ petitions during the pendency of the writ petitions in terms of the interim order shall be adjusted by the State Government towards the future liability of the petitioners.

Since the issue involved in this case stands answered in favour of the petitioners by the judgment dated 11/03/2016 in the bunch of writ petitions bearing Writ Petition No.4098 of 2014 and others, this writ petition also needs to be allowed.

Hence, for the reasons recorded in the judgment dated 11/03/2016 in Writ Petition No.4098 of 2014 and others, this writ petition is allowed. The declaration, granted by the judgment dated 11/03/2016 would cover the case of the petitioner herein. The amount that is deposited by the petitioner in terms of the interim order dated 12/02/2015 shall be adjusted by the State Government towards the past and future liability of the petitioner.

Rule is made absolute in the aforesaid terms with no order as to costs.

                        JUDGE                                             JUDGE 
 KHUNTE




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