The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to implement central amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act and Rules. This order is expected to provide a big relief to the vehicle dealers and buyers in Tamil Nadu. The ruling has directed the regional transport offices to avoid physical inspections and submission of hard copies when issuing registration numbers for fully-built vehicles.
The ruling mandates that the Tamil Nadu Government promptly adhere to the central amendments, ensuring seamless digital processes for vehicle registration. According to a statement from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), this development will notably alleviate procedural delays and inconsistencies.
“As per Article 254 of the Constitution of India, if any provision of law is made by the Legislature of a State and it is repugnant to any provision of a law made by the Parliament, the law enacted by the Parliament will prevail and the law enacted by the legislature of the State shall, to the extent of such repugnancy, be void,” the order stated.
It added that the State Government is obligated to follow the amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, effective from September 1, 2019, and the subsequent amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, without any further delay.
FADA had filed multiple writ petitions addressing challenges such as dealer point registration, online fancy number allotment, the abolition of temporary registration and design (prototype) approval and the non-insistence of driving licenses and PAN cards.
FADA sought a writ of mandamus directing the respondents to stop requiring a ration card for vehicle registration, in alignment with the amended Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, and Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989. These amendments aim to simplify procedures and provide hassle-free, citizen-centric services through the VAHAN portal. However, the Tamil Nadu Government had not implemented them, leading to delays and contradictory requirements. The court ruling has now addressed these issues.