Grant of contract carriage permit

In force Act 59 of 1988 As on 18 Oct 2026

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so the text below was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Act 59 of 1988 Cited by 3 provisions

This is a second copy of a Central Act. India Code files it on Haryana's shelf as well as under Parliament, and the text is the same enactment. Read it at The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which is the record this site keeps current.

Read from the scanned gazette. India Code publishes no text for this Act, so this text was read from the Government's own scan by machine and split into sections by its numbering. It has not been checked against the page word by word. Where it matters, read the scan. Read the scan.

Section 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act deals with grant of contract carriage permit. Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), a Regional Transport Authority may, on an application made to it under section 73, grant a contract carriage permit in accordance with the application or with such modifications as it deems fit or refuse to grant such a permit: Provided that no such perm

(1) Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), a Regional Transport Authority may, on an application made to it under section 73, grant a contract carriage permit in accordance with the application or with such modifications as it deems fit or refuse to grant such a permit:
Provided that no such permit shall be granted in respect of any area not specified in the application.
(2) The Regional Transport Authority, if it decides to grant a contract carriage permit, may, subject to any rules that may be made under this Act, attach to the permit any one or more of the following conditions, namely :- (i) that the vehicles shall be used only in a specified area or on a specified route or routes;
(ii) that except in accordance with specified conditions, no contract of hiring, other than an extension or modification of a subsisting contract, may be entered into outside the specified area;
(iii) the maximum number of passengers and the maximum weight of luggage that may be carried on the vehicles, either generally or on specified occasions or at specified times and seasons;
(iv) the conditions subject to which goods may be carried in any contract carriage in addition to, or to the exclusion of, passengers;
(v) that, in the case of motor cabs, specified fares or rates of fares shall be charged and a copy of the fare table shall be exhibited on the vehicle;
(vi) that, in the case of vehicles other than motor cabs, specified rates of hiring not exceeding specified maximum shall be charged;
(vii) that, in the case of motor cabs, a special weight of passengers' luggage shall be carried free of charge, and that the charge, if any, for any luggage in excess thereof shall be at a specified rate;
(viii) that, in the case of motor cabs, a taximeter shall be fitted and maintained in proper working order, if prescribed;
(ix) that the Regional Transport Authority may, after giving notice of not less than one month,- (a) vary the conditions of the permit; didier givited an (b) attach to the permit further conditions;
(x) that the conditions of permit shall not be departed from save with the approval of the Regional Transport Authority;
(xi) that specified standards of comfort and cleanliness shall be maintained in the vehicles;
(xii) that, except in the circumstances of exceptional nature, the plying of the vehicle or carrying of the passengers shall not be refused;
(xiii) any other conditions which may be prescribed.
(3) (a) The State Government shall, if so directed by the Central Government, having regard to the number of vehicles, road conditions and other relevant matters, by notification in the Official Gazette, direct a State Transport Authority and a Regional Transport Authority to limit the number of contract carriages generally or of any specified type, as may be fixed and specified in the notification, operating on city routes in towns with a population of not less than five lakhs.
(b) Where the number of contract carriages are fixed under clause (a), the Regional Transport Authority shall, in considering an application for the grant of permit in respect of any such contract carriage, have regard to the following matters, namely :- (i) financial stability of the applicant;
(ii) satisfactory performance as a contract carriage operator including payment of tax if the applicant is or has been an operator of contract carriages; and (iii) such other matters as may be prescribed by the State Government:
Provided that, other conditions being equal, preference shall be given to applications for permits from- - (i) the India Tourism Development Corporation;
(ii) State Tourism Development Corporations;
(iii) State Tourism Departments;
(iv) State transport undertakings;
(v) co-operative societies registered or deemed to have been registered under any enactment for the time being in force;
(vi) ex-servicemen.
Section 74, The Motor Vehicles Act (Act 59 of 1988).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

This section refers to

s. 73 Application for contract carriage permit

Referred to by 3

Questions about Section 74

What does Section 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act deal with?

Section 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act is headed "Grant of contract carriage permit". Subject to the provisions of sub-section (3), a Regional Transport Authority may, on an application made to it under section 73, grant a contract carriage permit in accordance with the application or with such modifications as it deems fit or refuse to grant such a permit: Provided that no such perm

How do I find court cases under Section 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Motor Vehicles Act 74, section 74 Motor Vehicles Act, section 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 73 (Application for contract carriage permit), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.

When was the Motor Vehicles Act enacted?

Motor Vehicles Act was enacted in 1988 as Act 59 of 1988. India Code records no commencement date for it. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

51. Special provisions regarding motor vehicle subject to hire-purchase agreement, etc1658 words
217. Repeal and savings1639 words
88. Validation of permits for use outside region in which granted1606 words
149. 1094 words
96. Power of State Government to make rules for the purposes of this Chapter980 words
2. Definitions947 words

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Read from the Government's own scanned gazette with Azure Document Intelligence, then split into sections by their numbering. India Code publishes no text for this Act. The scan itself is mirrored into our own storage and served at /scan/f09db275-80d6-4bd5-924c-03ac08727bdc.pdf, so the reading here can be checked against the page it came from without depending on India Code's own copy staying where it is (it was at https://indiacode.gov.in/server/api/core/bitstreams/e36db003-a500-4cf2-aaa3-05b529659cd2/content). This page is not a substitute for legal advice.