AG requested to help settle bus fare dispute

The Court of Appeal yesterday issued notice returnable for January 17 to the Attorney General to assist Court in settling the dispute that had arisen over the revision of private bus fares in the country.

The Bench comprising Justices Anil Gooneratne and Malinie Gunaratne issued notice on the Attorney General to assist Court to obtain the authenticity of the publication of the new tariff which allowed for an increase of 7% on bus fares.

Lanka Private Bus Owners’ Association (LPBOA) President Gemunu Wijeratne, its Secretary W.S.G.Wimalathunga and its Deputy President J.M. Jayaweera, in a Writ Petition, had cited Private Bus Transport Service Minister C.B. Ratnayake, the National Transport Commission (NTC), its Chairman R. Gunawardena, its Secretary Padmasiri Jayamanne and the Attorney General as Respondents. Upul Jayasuriya appeared for the Petitioners.

Petitioners challenge the alleged arbitrary revision of bus fares by the Respondents which they alleged had been done without proper authority, in particular the de facto NTC Chairman’s actions in this respect. They state the de facto NTC Chairman on October 25 published the paper notice notifying the public that the Cabinet had approved a 7% bus fare hike with effect from November 1 whereas the Petitioners had requested for a 10% increase. They contend that there was no specific statutory provision in the National Transport Commission Act empowering the NTC to increase bus fares.

The Petitioners were seeking an order from the Court to quash the decision taken and published by the Respondents to increase the bus fare by 7% in relation to the annual bus fares revision of 2013. They were also seeking the Court to prohibit the Respondents from interfering with the annual bus fare revision announced by LPBOA.