Plea challenges dealer-level registration of vehicles

The high court on Tuesday ordered notice to the transport department in response to a public interest litigation (PIL), challenging the notification allowing for registration of vehicles by the manufacturers and dealers of motor vehicles. A division bench headed by Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said that the proceedings of registrations, if any, held pursuant to the notification dated October 31, 2021, will be subject to further orders.

The PIL is filed by Mohammed Dastagir, who had earlier worked in various capacities in the transport department before his retirement in 2014.

The petition challenged the legality of the amendment to the provisions of Rule 33 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Rules, 1984. The government launched this as ‘dealer-level registration of vehicles’.

The petitioner submitted that initially, a dealer would physically drive the vehicle to the office of the registering authority. However, under the amended provision, an employee of a dealer with sufficient administrative experience and in the regular employment of the manufacturer or a dealer can not only issue a certificate of registration, but also assign the distinguishing mark to the vehicle.

Check out the latest videos from DH: