The Gazette of India
EXTRAORDINARY
PART III—Section 4
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
No. 200 ] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2002/ASVINA 5, 1924
3033 GI/2002
( I)2 THE GAZETTE OI' INDIA: EXTRAORDINARY [PAH I III Scc.4J
TARIFF AUTHORITY FOR MAJOR PORTS
, .•
NOllKICAllOlN
New Delhi, the 27th September, 2002
No.TAMP/10/2002-VPT.— In compliance of a direction issued by the Government of India under Section 111 of the Major Port Trusts Act, the Tariff Authority for Major Ports hereby closes the case relating to the representation made by the Visakhapatnam Steamship Agents Association against recovery of damages to consumable items by the Visakhapatnam Port Trust as in the Order appended hereto.
SCHEDULE
Case No. TAMP/10/2002-TPT
The Visakhapatnam Steamship Agents Association
Applicant
Vs
The Visakhapatnam Port Trust
Respondent
ORDER
(Passed on this 20th day of September, 2002)
This case relates to a representation made by the Visakhapatnam Steamship Agents Association Against recov- ery of damages to consumable items by the Visakhapatnam Port Trust.
1.1. So far, the regulatory intervention of this Authority 'to frame Scale of Rates' has been taken to encompass the following routes:
(i). Consideration of a 'proposal' received from a Port Trust/Private Terminal.
(li). Consideration of a 'representation' received from a port user or a representative body of port users.
(iii). Initiation of action suo motu.
2.2. Il is noteworthy that the Transaction of Business Regulations of this Authority have also been framed accordingly with an emphasis on a consultative process in promote participation in the proceedings of the greatest number of interested parties.
3. The representation in reference was registered as a tariff case and processed further following the consultative procedure prescribed.
4. Before this case could be taken up for final consideration, the Government of India (in the Ministry of Shipping) vide its communication No. PR-14019/36/2001-PG dated 9th September, 2002 has issued a 'policy direction' to this Author- ity under Section 111 of the MPT Act to refrain in future from entertaining representations made by individual parties, as this Authority has no power of adjudication in individual cases under the provisions of the MPT Act, This direction has been issued despite this Authority's argument that the scope of Section 111 ibid covers issue of directions on 'question of policy' and any dispute about jurisdiction can only be seen to be a legal issue having no scope for resolution through a policy direction.
5. In terms of the provisions of Section 111 of the MPT Act, this Authority is bound by the directions on questions of policy given by the Central Government,
0. lor the reasons given above, this Authority is unable to take up the representation in reference for final consideration. In the result, the ease in reference is closed, as directed by the Government, for want of jurisdiction.
S.SAT1IY AM, Chairman
[ADVT III/IV/143/2002/Exty 1