HC moved against revised fee for renewing vehicle fitness

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Wednesday ordered notice to the Union government and State government on a petition filed for a direction to revoke the increase for renewing the fitness and registration certificates for vehicles.

The second bench of Madras HC comprising Justice M Duraiswamy and Justice Sunder Mohan passed the direction on hearing the petition filed by M R Kumarasamy, president of All India Lorry Owners Federation – Tamil Nadu chapter.

According to the petitioner the union government had on October 4, 2021, notified the Central Motor Vehicles (Twenty Third Amendment) Rules, 2021 whereby amending the table under Rule 81 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules to increase the fee for the purpose of renewing the fitness certificate and registration certificate.

“As per the said notification, the fee for renewal of a registration certificate and the fee for renewal of a fitness certificate is enhanced to Rs 1,500 in respect of a heavy goods vehicle and Rs 1,300 in respect of a medium goods vehicle. Further, the said notification also stipulates an additional fee of Rs 500 every month in case there is a delay in applying for renewal of a registration and an additional fee of Rs 50 for each day delay in renewal of fitness in respect of a non-transport vehicle,” the petitioner said in his affidavit.

In any event, the enhanced fee and levy of penalty only in respect of vehicles older than 15 years is wholly illegal, arbitrary, and without the authority of law, he added.

Recording the submissions, the bench ordered notice to the Union and State government for filing their counters.