The Kerala High Court on Tuesday declined to intervene in the order of the Ernakulam Regional Transport Authority (RTA) directing that all the buses in the district are operated with door shutters.

The court passed the order when a petition filed by the Kerala Bus Transport Association, Ernakulam District Committee, came up for hearing. The association alleged that the RTO was harassing the owners of buses by not taking a decision on their applications for renewal of permits. Besides, the officer would often disrupt the service of the buses of the association members during their trip and issue them memos of charges containing vague allegations. The court noted that a perusal of the check report provided by the Regional Transport Officer regarding two buses belonging to the office bearers of the association showed that there were violation of the rules including plying of buses without door shutters and using audio players.

The court said that the provisions of the Kerala Motor Vehicles (Second Amendment) Rules 2016, were intended to ensure safe and convenient public transport facility to passengers by reducing the chances of untoward incidents and the provisions were in the interests of the public at large.