ENS

New Delhi, Feb 27: The Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed a Karnataka High Court order directing installation of speed governors on all transport vehicles in the state.

The interim stay was granted by a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan on an appeal filed by Association of Commercial Vehicle Operators, Karnataka, against the High Court order of February 12, 2008. The petitioner had raised an important question as to whether the High Court could have directed fitting of speed governors when a technical committee established by the Centre was seized of the issue and was yet to take a decision on it.

Later, the technical committee, set up by the Union Ministry of Road and Surface Transport, had recommended that the power to install speed governors should rest with the Central Government.

Pointing to it, senior advocate P P Rao told the apex court that the High Court should have waited for the recommendation of the committee before pronouncing the verdict.

The February 12 verdict of the High Court had evoked sharp reactions from several quarters in the state with commercial vehicles going off the road as part of a strike by operators.

The High Court had directed the state Government to ensure that all commercial vehicles plying in the state be fitted with speed governors by June 30.