WP(C)/27657/2026 of PRANAYA MANJARI MISHRA Vs STATE OF ODISHA on 31 August 2026

ORDER

31.08.2026 Order No.

01.

1. This matter is taken up through Hybrid mode.

2. Heard learned counsel for the Petitioner as well as Mr. P. Behera, learned Standing Counsel for the Transport Department. Perused the writ application as well as the documents annexed thereto.

3. The Petitioner has filed the present writ application with the following prayer: “Under the circumstances narrated above, it is most humbly prayed that this Hon'ble Court be graciously pleased to admit this Writ Petition, call for relevant records and upon hearing the counsel for the petitioner, be pleased to issue a Writ in the nature of Mandamus or any other appropriate writ/order/direction and: -

Hold the action of the Opposite Parties 2 and 3 in curtailing the route of the petitioner as illegal and arbitrary; And/or direct Opposite Party No. 2 to consider and dispose of petitioner's representation dated 13-04-2026 to operate her bus bearing Registration No. OD05BK4757 on the applied route of Bhubaneswar to Anandapur and back (instead of curtailed route of Bhubaneswar to J K Road and back) afresh uninfluenced by earlier orders within a stipulated time period by affording opportunity of hearing to the petitioner; And/or grant such other and incidental relief/s as this Hon'ble Court may deem just and necessary on the facts and circumstances of this case;”

4. Learned counsel for the Petitioner, at the outset, contended that the Petitioner, who happens to be a stage carriage permit operator, was initially granted with a temporary permit against his vehicle bearing Registration No.OD-05-BK-4757, to operate in the route from Bhubaneswar to Anandapur and back. Such permit was a temporary stage carriage permit issued on 25.01.2024. While the Petitioner was operating the said route by virtue of the temporary permit, the Petitioner submitted an online application to convert such temporary permit to a permanent permit vide his application dated 26.06.2024. He further submitted that the Petitioner was granted a permanent stage carriage permit for five years from 21.06.2024 to 21.06.2029, vide order dated 25.06.2024. However, the route of the permanent permit was curtailed from Anandapur to J K Road. Being aggrieved by such conduct of the Opposite Party No.2, the Petitioner has already submitted a representation with a prayer for reconsideration of his grievance and for extension of the permanent permit up to Anandapur from Bhubaneswar. He further contended that although such representation has been filed since 13.04.2026 at Annexure-6, however, no final decision has been taken on the same. Being aggrieved by the inaction of the Opposite Party No.2, the Petitioner has approached this Court by filing the present writ petition.

5. Mr. P. Behera, learned Standing Counsel for the Transport Department, on the other hand, submitted that in the event any such representation of the Petitioner is pending for consideration and no final decision has been taken thereon, he will have no objection if this Court directs the Opposite Party No.2 to consider such representation strictly in accordance with law as well as the applicable Rules, within a stipulated period of time.

6. Considering the submissions made by the learned counsels appearing for the respective parties, on a careful analysis of their submissions and on a close scrutiny of the documents annexed to the writ petition, this Court deems it proper to dispose of the writ petition at the stage of admission by directing the Opposite Party No.2 to consider and dispose of the representation of the Petitioner at Annexure-6 dated 13.04.2026, if the same has not already been disposed of, by passing a speaking and reasoned order within a period of six weeks from the date of communication of a copy of today’s order. The final decision so taken be communicated to the Petitioner within ten days thereafter. It is further observed that in the event a similar nature of permit has already been granted in favour of any other operator, then the same shall be taken into consideration by the Opposite Party No.2 while considering the case of the Petitioner.

7. With the aforesaid observations/directions, the writ application stands disposed of.

Issue urgent certified copy of this order as per Rules.

( Aditya Kumar Mohapatra )

Judge

S.K. Rout

Digitally Signed Signed by: SANTANU KUMAR ROUT Reason: Authentication Location: High Court of Orissa, Cuttack Date: 02-Sep-2026 19:11:55 Signature Not Verified