Md. Shafique Alam v. State of West Bengal and Ors.
Case brief
What is this about?
Inter-State permit dispute, WPA 28593 of 2025 (decided 10-02-2026, Smita Das De, J.). Permit no. WB2025 SC-0360A, route Purulia to Ichadih via Swarnrekha Ghat, Tata; holder Mal Kahn Mahto; vehicle WB 55D-5915 (BS-VI, 2024). Overlapping/clash of routes attributed to notification dated 29.03.2004 substituting Tata for Matha in the alignment under the Reciprocal Transport Agreement, 1975 (Serial No. 24). STA West Bengal and STA Jharkhand directed to consider representation dated 05.08.2025 per clauses (f) and 2(c) of notification dated 23.09.2004; joint road inspection by Motor Vehicle Inspectors (enforcement); virtual hearing with notice to parties and stakeholders; reasoned order within a week; entire exercise within 8 weeks; petition disposed of without merits. Keywords: overlapping route; Swarnrekha Ghat; Matha; Tata; STA; road inspection; representation 05.08.2025.
What did the court decide?
Directions issued: STA Jharkhand and STA West Bengal to jointly consider the representation dated 05.08.2025 in light of clauses (f) and 2(c) of the gazetted notification dated 23.09.2004 and resolve the impasse created by incorporating Tata in place of Matha; Motor Vehicle Inspector (enforcement) of each State to hold a road inspection within two weeks and file a report within a week thereafter; both authorities to fix a virtual hearing on notice to the petitioner, the private respondent and other stakeholders; a reasoned order in accordance with law to be passed and communicated within a week; the entire exercise to be completed within 8 weeks. No view expressed on the merits of the permit grant.