Justice Hrishikesh Roy, who authored the unanimous verdict, stated that there was no concrete evidence showing that LMV licence holders were responsible for an increase in road accidents. He emphasised that drivers with LMV licence, who spend the most time on the road, have legitimate grievances that cannot be dismissed on technical grounds.
The bench, which also included Justices P.S. Narasimha, Pankaj Mithal, and Manoj Misra, had reserved its judgement on August 21. During the proceedings, Attorney General R. Venkataramani informed the court that consultations to amend the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988, were nearing completion. The court urged the Centre to expedite the amendment process.
The case arose from disputes concerning insurance claims after accidents involving transport vehicles driven by individuals with LMV licence. Insurance companies had been challenging the payment of claims, arguing that the drivers were not legally authorised to operate transport vehicles. These companies claimed that courts and motor accident claim tribunals (MACTs) often favoured the insured, disregarding the licensing requirements.
In light of this ruling, insurance companies will now have to adjust their approach when handling claims involving transport vehicles driven by LMV licence holders, as the Supreme Court’s decision ensures that such drivers are legally permitted to operate vehicles weighing under 7,500 kg.
Inputs from PTI
