LMV license holders can drive transport vehicles: SC

"There is no empirical data that LMV driving license holders are responsible for the rise in road accidents."

The Supreme Court has ruled that a person holding a valid Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) license can drive a transport vehicle under a gross weight of 7,500 kg.

A five-judge Constitution bench of the apex court headed by CJI DY Chandrachud upheld a 2017 verdict, permitting LMV license holders to drive transport vehicles.

The court said, “There is no empirical data that LMV driving license holders are responsible for rise in road accidents in the country. LMV driving license holders, who spent maximum time behind the wheels, are seeking an answer from the court and their grievances cannot be rejected on technical grounds.”

Various disputes had been raised over payment of claims by insurance companies in accident cases involving transport vehicles being driven by those holding LMV licenses. Insurance companies had said that the motor accident claims tribunals and courts passed orders asking them to pay insurance claims, disregarding their objections with regard to the LMV driving license.

In 2017, a three-judge bench of the apex court held that transport vehicles with gross weight not exceeding 7,500 kg were not excluded from the definition of an LMV. Last year, insurance companies had filed 76 petitions to deal with the legal question arising out of this ruling.

Source: HT