In a decision that would ease re-registration of passenger vehicles, when someone shifts from one state to another, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has issued a notification of draft rules.
The step comes in the context of several citizen-centric steps and an IT-based solution for vehicle registration taken by the government. However, one of the main points in the vehicle registration process that still needed attention was re-registration of a vehicle while moving to another state, said a release issued by the Ministry.
As under section 47 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, while a person is allowed to keep the vehicle for 12 months in any state other than the state where the vehicle is originally registered, new registration with the new state-registering authority has to be made within 12 months.
Currently, to re-register a vehicle, a passenger vehicle user has to ensure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the parent State for assignment of new registration mark in another state. Additionally, one has to ensure assignment of new registration mark after the road tax on pro-rata basis is paid in the new State, and application for refund of the road tax in the parent State on pro-rata basis.
The provision to get refund from the parent State on pro-rata basis is a very cumbersome process, which varies from one State to another, noted the Ministry.
New Proposal
With this background, MoRTH is proposing a new system of vehicle registration, wherein allocation would be marked as “IN” series. This will be on pilot test mode. This vehicle registration facility under “IN” series will be available to defence personnel, employees of Central Government, State Governments, Central/ State PSUs and private sector companies/organisations, which have their offices in five or more States/Union Territories.
The motor vehicle tax will be levied for two years or in multiple of two. This scheme will facilitate free movement of personal vehicles across any state of India upon relocation to a new state.
The draft rules have been placed on the website, inviting comments for 30 days from the date of notification, from the public/States/UTs before being finalised.