CHENNAI: The Madras High has granted interim stay against a recent order of the fourth judicial magistrate court of Salem seeking a report from the DGP and the Salem city police commissioner over the delay in registration of an FIR against the president of a recreation club based on the complaint lodged by a local resident.
Justice Jagadish Chandira passed the interim orders after hearing a petition filed by Pravin Kumar Abinapu, then commissioner of police, Salem, challenging the magistrate’s order. The complainant had also sought registration of cases against the police officers concerned for failing to register FIR on his complaint.
Government advocate S Santhosh, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the complainant cannot seek registration of a criminal case against the police officers themselves.
If a case has not been registered, the appropriate remedy is to approach the competent authority and seek directions for registration of the case. It is not possible to seek registration of a case against a police officer. The magistrate ought not to have sought a report from the DGP and such an act amounts to taking onto him the powers of the high court.
As per the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, heavy and commercial vehicles must renew their fitness certificates every two years till they complete eight years. After crossing eight years, FC must be renewed annually.
As per the centre’s notification, the fee for issuing a fitness certificate for heavy goods and passenger vehicles (trucks and buses) older than 15 years was increased from Rs 850 to Rs 12,500. For buses and trucks over 20 years old, the fee was raised to Rs 25,000. Similarly, for medium commercial vehicles aged above 20 years, the fee was increased from Rs 1,800 to Rs 20,000. The fee for three-wheelers aged between 15 and 20 years was hiked from Rs 600 to Rs 3,000, while for those aged above 20 years, it was increased from Rs 600 to Rs 7,000. The renewal fee for FC of two-wheelers older than 20 years was also raised from Rs 600 to Rs 2,000.