(1) This Act may be called the Road Transport Corporations Act, 1950.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--
The State Government having regard to--
Every Corporation shall be a body corporate by the name notified under section 3 having perpetual succession and a common seal, and shall by the said name sue and be sued.
1[5. Management of Corporation and Board of Directors.--(1) The general superintendence, direction and management of the affairs and business of a Corporation shall vest in a Board of Directors which, with the assistance of its committees and Managing Director, may exercise all such powers and do all such acts and things as may be exercised or done by the Corporation.
6. Disqualifications for being chosen as, or for being, a 1[Director of a Corporation].--2[(1)] A person shall be disqualified for being chosen as, or for being, a 1[Director of a Corporation[--
7. Resignation of office by the Chairman or a 1[Director].--The Chairman or any other 1[Director] of a Corporation may resign his office by giving notice in writing to the State Government and, on such resignation being accepted by that Government, shall be deemed to have vacated his office.
1[(1)] The State Government may remove from office the Chairman or any other 2[Director] of the Corporation who--
No act or proceeding of a 1[Corporation or its Board] shall be invalid by reason only of the existence of any vacancy 2[in its Board] or any defect in the constitution thereof.
(1)10. Temporary association of persons with a 1[Board] for particular purposes.-- A 1[Board] may associate with itself for any particular purpose in such manner as may be determined by regulations made under this Act any person whose assistance or advice it may desire.
(1) 11. Meetings of 1[Board].-- A 1[Board] shall meet at such times and places and shall, subject to the provisions of sub-sections (2) and (3), observe such rules of procedure in regard to transaction of business at its meetings as may be provided by regulations made under this Act:
1[(1)] A 2[Board] may, from time to time by resolution passed at a meeting--
1[13. Authentication of orders and other instruments.--All orders and decisions of the Board shall be authenticated by the signature of the Secretary or by any such other officer of the Corporation as may be authorised in this behalf by the Board or under the regulations made under section 45 and all other instruments issued by a Board shall be authenticated by the signature of the Managing Director or any other officer of the Corporation authorised in like manner in this behalf.]
1[(1) Every Corporation shall have a Managing Director, a Chief Accounts Officer and a Financial Adviser, appointed by the State Government:
1[15. Managing Director, Chief Accounts Officer and Financial Adviser.--(1) The Managing Director shall be the executive head of the Corporation and all other officers and employees of the Corporation shall be subordinate to him.
No person who has directly or indirectly, by himself or his partner or agent, any share or interest in any contract, by or on behalf of a Corporation, or in any other road transport undertaking shall become or remain an 1[officer or other employee] of the Corporation.
The State Government may, after ascertaining the views of the Corporation, by notification in the Official Gazette, constitute one or more Advisory Councils consisting of such number of persons, on such terms, and for the purpose of advising the Corporation on such matters, as may be specified in that notification.
1[17A. Establishment of subsidiary corporations.--(1) Where a Corporation (hereinafter in this section referred to as the parent Corporation) is satisfied that it is expedient or necessary so to do for the more efficient discharge of its functions under this Act, it may, with the concurrence of the State Government and the Central Government, frame by notification in the Official Gazette a scheme or schemes providing for the establishment of one or more subsidiary corporations.
It shall be the general duty of a Corporation so to exercise its powers as progressively to provide or secure or promote the provision of, an efficient, adequate, economical and properly co-ordinated system of road transport services in the 1[Union territory of Delhi or part thereof] for which it is established and in any extended area:
(1) Subject to the provisions of this Act, a Corporation shall have power--
1[19A. Disposal of unclaimed articles and property.--(1) When any articles or goods have come into the possession of a Corporation for carriage or otherwise and are not claimed by the owner or any other person appearing to the Corporation to be entitled thereto, the Corporation shall, if such owner or other person is known, cause a notice to be served upon him requiring him to remove the articles or goods within seven days of the service of such notice.
1[19B. Corporation to obtain the approval of the Central Government in certain cases.--In the exercise of any of its powers under this Act, the Corporation shall not incur on any single work, service or scheme or for any other purpose a capital expenditure of more than twenty-five lakhs of rupees except with the previous approval of the Central Government.]
(1) If a Corporation considers it to be expedient in the public interest to extend the operation of any of its road transport services to any route or area situated within another State, it may, with the permission of the State Government, negotiate with the Government of the other State regarding the proposed extension.
Notwithstanding anything contained in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 (4 of 1939), a Corporation shall, if so required by the Central Government, carry mails at such rates and on such terms and conditions as may be specified in this behalf by 1[that Government].
It shall be the general principle of a Corporation that in carrying on its undertaking it shall act on business principles.
1[(1) The State Government may provide to a Corporation established by that Government any capital that may be required by the Corporation for the purpose of carrying on its undertaking or for purposes connected therewith on such terms and conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as that Government may determine.]
If, after the issue of shares under section 23 a Corporation requires any further capital, the Corporation may, with the previous sanction of the State Government, raise such additional capital by the issue of new shares and the provisions of sub-sections (2), 1[(2A)] (3), (4), (5) and (6) of the said section shall apply to the issue of such shares.
The shares of a Corporation shall be guaranteed by the State Government as to the payment of the principal and the payment of the annual dividend at such minimum rate as may be fixed by the State Government by notification published in the Official Gazette at the time of issuing the shares.
1[26. Borrowing powers.--A Corporation may, with the previous approval of the State Government, borrow money for the purpose of raising its working capital or meeting any expenditure of a capital nature in the open market or from a corresponding new bank constituted under section 3 of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1970 (5 of 1970), or section 3 of the Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Undertakings) Act, 1980 (40 of 1980), a State Finance Corporation, established under section 3 of the State Financial Corporations Act, 1951 (63 of 1951), the Industrial Finance Corporation of India, established under section 3 of the Industrial Finance Corporation Act, 1948 (15 of 1948), the Industrial Development Bank of India, established under section 3 of the Industrial Development Bank of India Act, 1964 (18 of 1964), the Life Insurance Corporation of India, established under section 3 of the Life Insurance Corporation Act, 1956 (31 of 1956), or any other financial institution providing credit which is subject to the control of the Reserve Bank of India.]
(1) Every Corporation shall have its own fund and all receipts of the Corporation shall be carried thereto and all payments by the Corporation shall be made therefrom.
(1) Where 1[the whole or part of the capital of a Corporation] is provided by the Central Government and the State Government under sub-section (1) of section 23, the Corporation shall pay interest on such capital at such rate as may, from time to time, be fixed by the State Government 2*** and such interest shall be deemed to be a part of the expenditure of the Corporation.
(1) A Corporation shall make such provisions for depreciation and for reserve and other funds as the State Government may, from time to time, direct.
After making provision for payment of interest and dividend under section 28 and for depreciation, reserve and other funds under section 29, a Corporation may utilise such percentage of its net annual profits as may be specified in this behalf by the State Government for the provision of amenities to the passengers using the road transport services, welfare of labour employed by the Corporation and for such other purposes as may be prescribed with the previous approval of the Central Government, 2[and out of the balance such amount as may, with the previous approval of the State Government 1***, be specified in this behalf by the Corporation, may be utilised for financing the expansion programmes of the Corporation and the remainder, if any, shall be made over to the State Government for the purpose of road development].
A Corporation shall have power to spend such sums as it thinks fit on objects authorised under this Act and such sums shall be treated as expenditure payable out of the fund of the Corporation.
(1) Every Corporation shall, by such date in each year as may be prescribed, prepare and submit to the State Government for approval a budget for next financial year showing the estimated receipts and expenditure during that financial year in such form as may be prescribed.
1[33. Accounts and audit.--(1) The Corporation shall maintain proper accounts and other records and prepare an annual statement of accounts including the profit and loss account and the balance sheet in such form as may be prescribed by the State Government in consultation with the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India.
(1) The State Government may, after consultation with a Corporation established by such Government, give to the Corporation general instructions to be followed by the Corporation, and such instructions may include directions relating to the recruitment, conditions of service and training of its employees, wages to be paid to the employees, reserves to be maintained by it and disposal of its profits or stocks.
(1) Every Corporation shall furnish to the State Government such returns, statistics, accounts and other information with respect to its property or activities or in regard to any proposed scheme as the State Government may from time to time require.
(1) The State Government, with a view to satisfy itself that the powers and duties of a Corporation established by that Government are being exercised and performed properly, may, at any time, appoint any person or persons to make inquiries into all or any of the activities of the Corporation and to report to the State Government the result of such inquiries.
(1) If on receipt of the report of any inquiry held under section 36 or otherwise, the State Government is satisfied that it is necessary so to do in the public interest, the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, authorise any person to take over from the Corporation, and so long as that notification is in force, to administer in accordance with such directions as may be issued from time to time by the State Government such part of the undertaking of the Corporation as may be specified in the notification, and any person so authorised may, for the purpose of so administering the said part of the undertaking exercise all or any of the powers of the Corporation or of any officer of the Corporation under this Act, issue such directions as he thinks fit to the 1[officers or other employees] of the Corporation and employ any outside agency.
(1) If the State Government is of opinion that a Corporation established by that Government is unable to perform, or has persistently made default in the performance of the duties imposed on it by or under the provisions of this Act or has exceeded or abused its powers, the State Government may, 1*** by notification in the Official Gazette, supersede the Corporation for such period as may be specified in the notification:
(1) No provision of any law relating to the winding up of companies or corporations shall apply to a Corporation, and no Corporation shall be placed in liquidation save by order of the State Government concerned and save in such manner as may be directed by that Government:
Whenever a Corporation acquires under this Act the whole or any part of any undertaking, there shall be paid by the Corporation compensation the amount of which shall be determined in the manner and in accordance with the procedure hereinafter set out, that is to say,--
[Corporation to be deemed to be a local authority and provision as to third party risks].--Omitted by the Road Transport Corporations (Amendment) Act, 1959 (28 of 1959), s. 11 (w.e.f. 1-9-1959).
Whenever it is necessary for a Corporation to carry out any of its works or to make any survey, examination or investigation, preliminary or incidental to the exercise of powers or the performance of duties by the Corporation under this Act, any 1[officer or other employee] of the Corporation generally or specially empowered by the Corporation may, with the previous permission of the District Magistrate, enter upon any land or premises between sunrise and sunset, after giving reasonable notice of the intention to make such entry to the owner or occupier of such land or premises, and at any other time, with the consent in writing of the owner of occupier of such land or premises, for the purpose of the carrying out of such works or the making of such survey, examination or investigation.
43. 1[Directors], 2[Officers and other employees] of a Corporation to be public servants.--All 1[Directors] of a Corporation, and all 2[officers and other employees] of a Corporation, whether appointed by the State Government or the Corporation, shall be deemed, when acting or purporting to act in pursuance of any of the provisions of this Act or of any other law, to be public servants within the meaning of section 21 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).
(1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules to give effect to the provisions of this Act.
(1) A Corporation may with the previous sanction of 1[the State Government and by notification in the Official Gazette], make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act and the rules made thereunder for the administration of the affairs of the Corporation.
1[45A. Every rule and regulation to be laid before State Legislature--Every rule and every regulation made under this Act shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before the State Legislature.]
The State Government may, by rule, provide that the breach of any rules made by it under section 44 1[or any regulations made by a Corporation under section 45] shall be punishable with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, and when the breach is a continuing one, with a further fine not exceeding twenty rupees for every day after the date of the first conviction during which the offender is proved to have persisted in the offence.
(1) The body known as the Bombay State Road Transport Corporation and the Board thereof, referred to in the notification of the Government of Bombay, No. 1780/5, dated the 16th November, 1949 (hereinafter referred to as "the existing corporation" and "Board" respectively) shall, notwithstanding any defect in, or invalidity of, the enactment or order under which they were constituted, be deemed for all purposes to have been validly constituted as if all the provisions of the said notification had been included and enacted in this section and this section had been in force continuously on and from the said date, and accordingly--
1[47A. Special provision for reconstitution or dissolution of certain Corporations.--(1) Where on account of the reorganisation of States under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 (37 of 1956), 2[or any other enactment relating to reorganisation of States, the whole or any part of a State in respect of which a Corporation was, immediately before the day on which the reorganisation takes place,] functioning and operating, is transferred on that day to another State and by reason of such transfer, it appears to the State Government necessary or expedient that the Corporation should be reconstituted or re-organised in any manner whatsoever or that it should be dissolved, the State Government may frame a scheme for the reconstitution, reorganisation or dissolution of the Corporation including proposals regarding the formation of new Corporations the amalgamation of the Corporation with any other Corporation, body corporate or a commercial undertaking of another State Government, the transfer of the assets, rights and liabilities of the Corporation in whole or in part to any other Corporation, body corporate or a commercial undertaking of another State Government, and the transfer or re-employment of any workmen of the Corporation, and the State Government may forward the scheme to the Central Government for approval.
1[48. Transitional provision relating to Bombay State Road Transport Corporation.-- Notwithstanding anything contained in section 47A, it shall be lawful for the Government of the State of Bombay to frame a scheme under sub-section (1) thereof and forward the same to the Central Government before the 1st day of May, 1960, and in such a case, the power conferred on the Central Government to make an order under sub-section (2) thereof may be exercised before that day but no order so made shall take effect till that day.]
1[49. Prosecution and cognizance of offences.--(1) No court shall proceed to the trial of any offence made punishable by or under this Act except on the complaint of, or on an information received from, the General Manager of the new Corporation or a person authorised by him by general or special order in this behalf in writing.
1[50. Appointment of Magistrates.--(1) The State Government may appoint one or more magistrates of the first or second class for the trial of offences against this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder or any bye-law continued thereunder and may prescribe the time and place at which such magistrate or magistrates shall sit for the despatch of business.
1[51. Composition of offences.--(1) The General Manager of the new Corporation or any officer or other employee specially empowered by him in this behalf in writing may, either before or after the institution of the proceedings compound any offence made punishable by, or under this Act.
1[52. Limitation of time for prosecution.--No person shall be liable to punishment for any offence against this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder or any bye-law continued thereunder, unless complaint of such offence is made before a Magistrate within six months next after,--
1[53. Power of magistrate to hear cases in absence of accused when summoned to appear.--If any person summoned to appear before a magistrate to answer a charge of an offence against this Act or any rule or regulation made thereunder, or any bye-law continued thereunder, fails to appear at the time and place mentioned in the summons, or on any date to which the hearing of the case is adjourned, the magistrate may hear and determine the case in his absence, if--