The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill is set to go to a select committee of the Rajya Sabha. The pet legislation of Roads and Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari, it proposes changes to insurance coverage, road safety norms and driver licensing, and impacts the public transport system, among other things. The Bill could now be taken up only in the Winter Session.

Last week, Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien had convened a meeting of all parties on the Bill. Gadkari had told reporters after the meeting that all parties would give their objections and amendments in writing to the Deputy Chairman by Monday. However, only three individual MPs submitted their suggestions.

At the meeting, almost all political parties other than the ruling parties expressed their concerns on certain clauses, particularly those dealing with the States’ domain, such as driver licensing, recall of old and defected vehicles and regulation of taxi aggregators.

“The fact that none of the major parties has given amendments indicates that there is no change in their views,” said a top source in the Rajya Sabha told BusinessLine . “This is despite a clear assurance by the Minister that he would delete all clauses that the members feel are anti-federal. The majority view was to send the Bill to a Select Committee.”

The Deputy Chairman is likely to call another meeting of all the parties soon. “If the differences continue, the meeting may take a decision to send the Bill to a Select Committee,” said a Rajya Sabha member.

The Lok Sabha had passed the legislation during the budget session. Parliament’s Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture had urged the Centre, in a report, to consider the concerns of the States and protect their identity while formulating a new scheme of numbering for vehicles, among other proposals.

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