Additional Chief Secretary-Level Officer To Head Madhya Pradesh State Transport Authority

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh Government has reconstituted the State Transport Authority (STA), removing the powers earlier held by the Transport Department secretary.

Under the new arrangement, an Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary-level officer will head the authority as its chairman, while the Transport Commissioner will be a member.

The move came after the matter reached the Madhya Pradesh High Court. Using powers under Section 68 (1) and (2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the state government issued an order restructuring the STA.

The notification stated that the earlier order had been superseded and the new arrangement would come into effect immediately across Madhya Pradesh.

The restructuring followed questions over the appointment of the STA chairman. Transport Department Secretary Manish Singh was earlier holding multiple responsibilities, including the post of STA chairman.

Singh was also the managing director of Madhya Pradesh Road Transport Corporation and Madhya Pradesh Passenger Transport and Infrastructure Limited. 

The Transport Department had formed seven assistant regional companies for regulating public passenger transport, and the managing director of Madhya Pradesh Passenger Transport and Infrastructure Limited was appointed ex-officio chairman of these companies.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had earlier issued a notice to the Chief Secretary seeking a response on the appointment of the STA chairman.

Since Singh was also the managing director of Madhya Pradesh Road Transport Corporation, the court considered the post to fall under the category of an office of profit under Section 68 of the Motor Vehicles Act and sought a response.

Following the court proceedings, the government decided to appoint an Additional Chief Secretary or Principal Secretary-level officer as the STA chairman.

The matter was raised through a petition filed by transporter Ajay Narayan Pathak in the High Court. The petition was numbered 36062.