BENGALURU: A city-based social activist has challenged the Section 8A of the National Highways Act 1956 and the rules framed under it to empower the state and Central governments to collect toll fee.
In the public interest litigation petition filed in the high court, Geetha Misra, resident of Rajajinagar, contended that toll fee collection was nothing but an unjust enrichment by the Union government as well as the state of Karnataka. “Citizens are already taxed by way of road tax under the Motor Vehicles Act and Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation Rules for vehicles being used on the roads,” she said.
“Under the Central Road Fund the cess is being levied on petrol and diesel, which is being utilised for development and maintenance of roads and highways. Therefore, collection of toll for using the highways is illegal in view of the Central Road Fund Act and Motor Vehicles Act and Taxation Rules,” the petitioner claimed.
“When enormous fund is available under the Central Road Relief Fund, it is highly unethical and arbitrary on the part of the State and the Centre to collect toll from the motor vehicle users on both national and state highways in Karnataka,” she added.
The vacation division bench of Justice S Sujatha and Justice S G Pandit adjourned the hearing, saying that the matter will be taken up after vacation.