WP(C)/29877/2020 of SANTOSH KUMAR MALIK Vs UNION OF INDIA on 24 December 2020

02. 24.12.2020

Heard learned counsel for the parties by video conferencing mode.

2. Since Mr. P.K. Parhi, learned Asst. Solicitor General for the Union of India as well as Mr. P. Behera, learned counsel for the Transport Department accepts notice on behalf of the respective opposite parties, learned counsel for the petitioner shall serve an extra copy of the writ petition along with annexure on each of them in course of the day.

3. By way of this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed to quash the Notification No. G.S.R. 1183 (E) dated 29.12.2016 issued by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, New Delhi, Government of India amending Rule 32 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 for levy of additional fees for renewal of driving licence for each year of delay from the date of expiry of grace period, which was incorporated under entry at Sl. No.9 of the table and to direct the opposite party-authority to renew the driving licence without payment of any additional fees per year.

4. A batch of similar writ petitions were disposed of by this Court vide common judgment passed in the case of Dinabandhu Sahoo v. Union of India and others, reported in 2019 (I) ILR-CUT-474 and common judgment dated 13.12.2019 passed in W.P.(C) No.18124 of 2019 (Anirudha Kumar Dash v. Union of India and others ).

5. Since the issue involved in the present writ petition is squarely covered to that of Dinabandhu Sahoo (supra) and Ajaya Anirudha Kumar Dash (supra), this writ petition is disposed of at the stage of admission in terms of the common judgments passed in the case of Dinabandhu Sahoo (supra) as well as Anirudha Kumar Dash (supra).

As restrictions are continuing for COVID-19, learned counsel may utilize the soft copy of this order available in the High Court’s website or print out thereof at par with certified copies in the manner prescribed, vide Court’s Notice No.4587, dated 25.03.2020.

.....……………………. Dr. B.R. Sarangi, J.

……………….. P. Patnaik, J