Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill unlikely to go through Monsoon session

According to a senior opposition leader, the decision to oppose the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill was taken at a co-ordination meeting of the non-NDA parties today.
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari  (File Photo)
Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari (File Photo)

NEW DELHI: With the Opposition joining ranks and seeking amendments, the Centre's Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Bill is unlikely to go through in the ongoing Monsoon session.

The Bill was listed for discussion on Tuesday but the Opposition in a meeting with Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari told him that the government should accept amendments on clauses of insurance, licensing authorities and permits in the bill.

The Bill amends the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and also provides for amending the existing categories of driver licensing, recall of vehicles in case of defects, protection of good samaritans from any civil or criminal action and an increase of penalties for several offences under the 1988 Act.

According to sources, all the Opposition parties told Gadkari that either the government accepts them or they will move the amendments and seek voting. Keeping in mind that the Government still doesn’t have a majority to push through the bill unlike in the Lok Sabha, the minister assured them that he would discuss it with the Opposition.

“There are six, seven amendments to this Bill. We are informally meeting the Minister. So, the informal agreement, which I am sharing with you, is that this Bill will only be brought up on Monday again. We are agreeing to that because we want to find a solution with the Minister not before Monday,” said Trinamool MP Derek O’Brien.

“There is a likelihood that the Bill be pushed to winter session as the whole process is expected to take time,” a source said.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Vijay Goel told the House that Gadkari would tell him when to continue the discussion as he is meeting the opposition MPs. A few members spoke on the bill on Monday and discussion was to continue on Tuesday.

The Opposition claims to have support of the BJD, which with 9 MPs can be a deciding factor if the voting happens on the Bill. Interestingly, the AIADMK and the BJD have also demanded amendments to the bill.

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