Existing rules to govern renewal of RC
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Dec 2: After more than a year, the Transport Department in Jammu and Kashmir has awaken from its deep slumber and come out with an order on renewable of the registration of vehicles older than 15 years, thus giving a sigh of relief to tens of thousands of such vehicle owners.
As per the circular in this regard, issued today by the Transport Commissioner Pardeep Kumar, extension of the life of vehicles beyond 15 years of age shall be governed by the existing Motor Vehicle Act/Rules and Government order number 20-TR of 2007.
Hence, registration of non commercial vehicles between 15 to 25 years can be renewed on producing a fitness certificate after expiry of the RC while the life of Passenger/Commercial vehicles aged between 15 to 25 years, can be extended provided a fitness certificate is produced after every six months.
“Life extension of non commercial vehicles after 15 years shall be governed by MV Act/Rules and other relevant instruction/rules issued from time to time. With respect to Passenger/Commercial vehicles, the life extension shall be governed as per Government order No. 20-TR of 2007, dated 20-03-2007 and any other instructions issued from time to time by the Department,” read the circular by Transport Commissioner, J&K.
As per the Motor Vehicles Act, an application by or on behalf of the owner of a motor vehicle, other than a transport vehicle, for the renewal of a certificate of registration, shall be made to the registering authority in whose jurisdiction the vehicles is, in Form 25 not more than 60 days before the date of its expiry, accompanied by the appropriate fee as specified in rule 81. On receipts of the application, the registering authority shall refer the vehicle for a certificate of fitness and after obtaining the same, the renewal shall be made from the date of grant of the certificate of fitness for a period of five years.
The Government Order Number 20-TR of 2007, dated 20-03-2007, which acknowledges a complete ban on plying of old commercial/passenger vehicles on roads in J&K on attaining the age of 25 years with effect from 01.04.2007, says that the fitness test of passenger/commercial vehicles aged between 15 to 25 years, is compulsory after every six months. This means that registration of the passenger/commercial vehicles between 15 to 25 years can be renewed on producing fitness certificate after every six months.
The much awaited circular on extension in the life of vehicles beyond 15 years has been notified exactly after 16 months since issuance of Government notification number 492 on levying of one time token tax at the rate of 9 percent of the cost of vehicle for the registration purpose. As this notification number 492, dated 01-08-2019 was silent on the calculation of token tax for renewal of registration of vehicles older than 15 years, the Transport Department stopped renewing the registration of old vehicles on one pretext or the other thus causing harassment to tens of thousands of owners of commercial as well as non-commercial vehicles. Such vehicles were forced to remain off the road because of no decision by the Transport Department on renewing their registration.
The Excelsior had highlighted this issue a number of times following which the Government of Union Territory came with a statement in August last that it was in the process of framing a policy with regard to registration and plying of vehicles older than 15 years.
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