Transport Authorities
Section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 deals with transport Authorities. The State Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute for the State a State Transport Authority to exercise and discharge the powers and functions specified in sub-section (3), and shall in like manner constitute Regional Transport Authorities to exercise and discharge thro The Act came into force on 01 Jul 1989.
(1) The State Government shall, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute for the State a State Transport Authority to exercise and discharge the powers and functions specified in sub-section (3), and shall in like manner constitute Regional Transport Authorities to exercise and discharge throughout such areas (in this Chapter referred to as regions) as may be specified in the notification, in respect of each Regional Transport Authority; the powers and functions conferred by or under this Chapter on such Authorities:
Provided that in the Union territories, the Administrator may abstain from constituting any Regional Transport Authority.
(2) A State Transport Authority or a Regional Transport Authority shall consist of a Chairman who has had judicial experience or experience as an appellate or a revisional authority or as an adjudicating authority competent to pass any order or take any decision under any law and in the case of a State Transport Authority, such other persons (whether officials or not), not being more than four and, in the case of a Regional Transport Authority, such other persons (whether officials or not), not being more than two, as the State Government may think fit to appoint; but no person who has any financial interest whether as proprietor, employee or otherwise in any transport undertaking shall be appointed, or continue to be, a member of a State or Regional Transport Authority, and, if any person being a member of any such Authority acquires a financial interest in any transport undertaking, he shall within four weeks of so doing, give notice in writing to the State Government of the acquisition of such interest and shall vacate office:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall prevent any of the members of the State Transport Authority or a Regional Transport Authority, as the case may be, to preside over a meeting of such Authority during the absence of the Chairman, notwithstanding that such member does not possess judicial experience or experience as an appellate or a revisional authority or as an adjudicating authority competent to pass any order or take any decision under any law:
Provided further that the State Government may,--
(i) where it considers necessary or expedient so to do, constitute the State Transport Authority or a Regional Transport Authority for any region so as to consist of only one member who shall be an official with judicial experience or experience as an appellate or a revisional authority or as an adjudicating authority competent to pass any order or take any decision under any law;
(ii) by rules made in this behalf, provide for the transaction of business of such authorities in the absence of the Chairman or any other member and specify the circumstances under which, and the manner in which, such business could be so transacted:
Provided also that nothing in this sub-section shall be construed as debarring an official (other than an official connected directly with the management or operation of a transport undertaking) from being appointed or continuing as a member of any such authority merely by reason of the fact that the Government employing the official has, or acquires, any financial interest in a transport undertaking.
(3) The State Transport Authority and every Regional Transport Authority shall give effect to any directions issued under section 67 and the State Transport Authority shall, subject to such directions and save as otherwise provided by or under this Act, exercise and discharge throughout the State the following powers and functions, namely:--
(a) to co-ordinate and regulate the activities and policies of the Regional Transport Authorities, if any, of the State;
(b) to perform the duties of a Regional Transport Authority where there is no such Authority and, if it thinks fit or if so required by a Regional Transport Authority, to perform those duties in respect of any route common to two or more regions;
(c) to settle all disputes and decide all matters on which differences of opinion arise between Regional Transport Authorities; and
1[(ca) Government to formulate routes for plying stage carriages;]
(d) to discharge such other functions as may be prescribed.
(4) For the purpose of exercising and discharging the powers and functions specified in sub-section (3), a State Transport Authority may, subject to such conditions as may be prescribed, issue directions to any Regional Transport Authority, and the Regional Transport Authority shall, in the discharge of its functions under this Act, give effect to and be guided by such directions.
(5) The State Transport Authority and any Regional Transport Authority, if authorised in this behalf by rules made under section 96, may delegate such of its powers and functions to such authority or person subject to such restrictions, limitations and conditions as may be prescribed by the said rules.
Section 68, The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Act 59 of 1988).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
Related judgements & precedents
These are some judgments that construed this section, and hold precedence value. They hold authority on how to read, interpret and use this section.
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State of Madhya Pradesh Thr. Principal Secretary Department of Transport vs Mahendra Gupta
Court's Decision & Legal Precedent
When a multi-member administrative body (such as the State Transport Authority) convenes a meeting with complete quorum and all members hear and participate in the deliberation of a matter, a decision issued by the majority of members present is valid and binding, even if one member becomes unavailable before signing the final order due to transfer or other circumstances, provided the statutory scheme does not expressly require unanimous or special majority decisions. The principle of majority rule applies to multi-member administrative bodies in the absence of express statutory provision to the contrary, and procedural irregularities in the execution of the order (such as absence of signature from one member) do not invalidate the substantive decision when all members have heard the matter.
On this section: Establishes the constitutional framework for State Transport Authority as a multi-member body with powers and functions to regulate transport activities. The Court applied these provisions to establish that the State Transport Authority is a statutory multi-member body whose decisions must follow the statutory scheme.
The holding above is the ratio decidendi as extracted from the judgment by eCourts India, reproduced unaltered — it is a rendering of the court's reasoning, not a substitute for its words. Read the order itself before relying on it.
Made under this section, and citing it
4 instruments state that it was made under this provision — the power to make it comes from here, so a change to any of them changes what this section requires in practice. Newest first.
Another 2 instruments name this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.
Questions about Section 68
What have the courts held on Section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act?
State of Madhya Pradesh Thr. Principal Secretary Department of Transport vs Mahendra Gupta (08 Feb 2018) is the leading judgment on this section among those set out below: Establishes the constitutional framework for State Transport Authority as a multi-member body with powers and functions to regulate transport activities. The Court applied these provisions to establish that the State Transport Authority is a statutory multi-member body whose decisions must follow the statutory scheme.
How do I find court cases under Section 68 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: MV Act 68, section 68 MV Act, section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome. 1 reported judgment on this section is set out on this page, beginning with State of Madhya Pradesh Thr. Principal Secretary Department of Transport vs Mahendra Gupta (08 Feb 2018).
What should I read with Section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on section 67 (Power to State Government to control road transport), section 96 (Power of State Government to make rules for the purposes of this Chapter), so none of them can safely be read on its own. 1 other provision in this corpus refers back to it. The rules and notifications made under it are where it actually bites, and there are 4: most recently Re-constitution of State Transport Authority (2020), then State Transport Authority Reconstitution (2019), and 2 more.
When did Section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act come into force?
Section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act, cited as MV Act 68, came into force on 01 Jul 1989, having been enacted on 14 Oct 1988. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions1948 words
- 88. Validation of permits for use outside region in which granted1560 words
- 51. Special provisions regarding motor vehicle subject to hire-purchase agreement, etc1199 words
- 150. Duty of insurers to satisfy judgments and awards against persons insured in respect of third party risks1102 words
- 96. Power of State Government to make rules for the purposes of this Chapter995 words
- 72. Grant of stage carriage permits868 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. Text as in force on 16 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.