In section 55 of the said Act, for the proviso to sub-section (1), the following provisos shall be substituted, namely:

"Provided that other conditions being equal, an application for a public carrier's permit from a partnership firm or a private limited company or a public limited company or a co-operative society registered or deemed to have been registered under any enactment in force for the time being or a group of individuals shall, as far as may be, be given preference over applications from individual owners if the group of individuals consists of not less than four persons or the partnership firm, private limited company, public limited company or co-operative society consists of not less than four partners, shareholders or members, as the case may be, and one of such persons or partners, shareholders or members is a driver holding an effective driving licence to drive a transport vehicle of a public carrier; and such group of individuals or partnership firm or private limited company or public limited company or co-operative society shall be eligible for a permit for one transport vehicle of a public carrier:

Provided further that other conditions being equal, a group of individuals consisting of not less than nine persons or a partnership firm or a private limited company or a public limited company or a co-operative society having not less than nine partners, shareholders or members, as the case may be, shall be eligible to get permits for two transport vehicles of a public carrier if three of such persons or partners, shareholders or members are drivers and hold effective driving licence to drive a transport vehicle of a public carrier.".