S.K. BHATIA & OTHERS vs STATE OF U.P. & OTHERS.

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Condition No. 18 attached to permits for mini buses under the U.P. Motor Vehicles (Special Provisions) Act, 1976, stating that it is within the powers conferred by Section 51(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. The Court emphasized that the condition, which limits the age of the vehicle to a maximum of seven years, is aimed at ensuring public safety and comfort, thus serving a legitimate statutory purpose. The judgment reaffirmed the necessity of modern safety measures in public transport vehicles, rejecting previous challenges to the condition's validity.