The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : ‘Proof of ownership to get a licence not necessary’

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 18, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

‘Proof of ownership to get a licence not necessary’

Staff Reporter

Coimbatore: The Coimbatore Consumer Cause has criticised the decision of the Transport Department to insist on producing proof of ownership from students in the age group of 16 to 18 to get a driving licence.

The secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Cause, Kathirmathiyon, in a memorandum to the Home Secretary said that recently the Transport Department had stated that students in the age group of 16 to 18 years should produce proof of ownership (in his name or his parent) of a two-wheeler with below 50 cc engine capacity, while applying for learner’s licence.

Mr. Kathirmathiyon said that Motor Vehicle Act and Rules specifies the eligibility and condition for the issue of Learner’s Licence. Imposing such a major condition for obtaining learner’s licence, by a mere administrative order by the Transport Department, which was not found in the Motor Vehicles Act or Rule was not valid.

Transport Department was of the contention that students in the age group of between 16 and 18 after obtaining licence for driving two-wheelers with a capacity below 50 cc, they rode motorcycles with higher engine capacity. Even the proof of ownership would not be a guarantee that such students would not use vehicles with higher engine capacity.

Sensitise parents

Mr. Kathirmathiyon said that there was a need to sensitise students and parents to this issue. The violator of the rule need to be booked since it was as good as driving without a valid licence.

Action should be taken against Persons riding light motor vehicles using using the licence obtained for motor cycle with gear (above 18 years). If the present order was not withdrawn it could be applied for Light Motor Vehicles in future. Ownership of the vehicle should not be made a pre-requisite for getting a licence and only the riding or driving skills should be insisted upon.

As per Section 4 of the Motor Vehicle Act licences could be attained by persons in the age group of 16 to 18 years for riding motor cycle with engine capacity not exceeding 50 cc.

As of now, motor cycles “below 50 CC’ engine capacity was not available in the market.

In that case, the inference or interpretation would be that students’ aged between 16 and 18 years could not drive any two-wheelers and no licence could be issued. Whereas, there was no clause as motorcycles having below 50 cc engine capacity in Section 10 of the Motor Vehicle Act.

It has only classifications such as motor cycle with gear and those without gear. Further, Section 7 of the Act also insisted on parent/guardian’s consent letter for licence to use motor cycle without gear.

The consumer body would approach the Union Government to remove the ambiguity in terms of the engine cc. The classification should only be on the basis of motorcycles with gear and without gear.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Tamil Nadu