Supreme Court refuses to interfere with High Court order staying cancellation of bus permits of Badals' company

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 17

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere in a Punjab and Haryana High Court order staying the cancellation of bus permits of Orbit Aviation Private Limited, a company believed to be owned by former Punjab chief minister Prakash Singh Badal's family.

“Don’t fight political battles in courts," a Bench led by Justice Hemant Gupta said.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court had earlier stayed the Punjab government's decision to cancel bus permits of Orbit Aviation Pvt Ltd.

The high court had directed the State of Punjab, the State Transport Commissioner and the Regional Transport Authority to forthwith release the buses of Orbit Aviation.

It had also asked the state transport authorities to permit the petitioner company to provisionally ply the buses.

The high court's order had come on a petition seeking quashing of 31 orders of cancellation of permits issued by the Regional Transport Authority.

The petitioners before the high court had contended that the orders were arbitrary, went against the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and violated the principles of natural justice.

On behalf of the Punjab government, Advocate General DS Patwalia contended the state had the right to cancel the bus permits over non-payment of road tax dues despite several notices.

"Now that they have paid...why do you want to cancel permits?" the Bench asked.

The company was represented by senior advocate Ranjit Kumar.