Priority Consideration Does Not Guarantee Stage Carriage Permit: Calcutta HC

Suparna Das Vs State of West Bengal & Others (Calcutta High Court)

Summary: The Calcutta High Court dismissed an appeal challenging rejection of the appellant’s application for a stage carriage permit on Route Nos. 215 and 215/1 and upheld the decision of the learned Single Judge. The dispute originated in 2014 when the appellant’s permit application was rejected for want of vacancy. By order dated June 30, 2014, the High Court had directed that her application be considered afresh “on a priority basis” as and when a new vacancy arose. After the transport authorities declared a vacancy in 2023, the appellant again approached the High Court, which directed consideration of her representation in terms of the earlier order. The Regional Transport Authority, Kolkata subsequently rejected her application through its resolution dated December 19, 2023 after evaluating the competing applicants. The appellant challenged that decision, but the writ petition was dismissed on October 28, 2025.

In appeal, the appellant principally contended that the earlier High Court orders requiring consideration “on priority basis” effectively entitled her to the permit once a vacancy arose. She also challenged the resolution on the ground that it had not been signed by all members of the Regional Transport Authority Board and argued that the successful private respondent had improperly used the same financial and other credentials for two separate permit applications.