KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has come to the rescue of Thodupuzha native Jilumol Mariet Thomas, who was born without hands. The 28-year-old has been trying hard to drive an altered four-wheeler but the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) threw a spanner in her efforts to chase her dreams.
After she pursued the legal route, the Kerala High Court has given green signal to register her car in her name without alteration.
But her dream to drive the car with the permission of MVD remains unfulfilled. A simple step by the MVD could be a giant leap for this woman of steel who has challenged her disability.
While disposing of her petition, the Kerala High Court directed the Motor Vehicles Department to register the vehicle bought for her use in 2018.
The court directed her to produce the vehicle after removing all alterations and in tune with the requirements mandated by MVD.
“If the vehicle is produced as directed with all requisite records, the Joint Regional Transport Officer, Thodupuzha, shall take appropriate steps to inspect the vehicle and ascertain its road worthiness as per procedure and if the vehicle is found fit for registration as an ordinary passenger car, the same shall be carried out within a period of three weeks. The RTO shall refrain from initiating any coercive action against her for the delay in producing the registration certificate of the vehicle,” held Justice V Raja Vijayaraghavan.
The court observed that she is brilliant in all respects and is presently working as a graphic designer in Kochi. Being a person who is not prepared to be cowed down by the disability that befell on her, she decided to learn driving to gain more independence for herself.
When her application for obtaining learner’s licence was rejected, she had approached the High Court and was asked to present herself before the Joint RTO with a suitable vehicle for consideration of her application for learner’s licence.
Her counsel G Hariharan submitted that some officers of the transport department were delaying the request for getting licence. She had filed a representation before the chief minister and the CM forwarded this to the transport commissioner with a positive note, but it is pending.
In C Paulraj vs Secretary, Ministry of Transport, Chennai, the Madras High Court had granted a similar plea in 2008. Jilumol said to pursue her passion, she purchased a Maruti Celerio VXI automatic car after availing of a loan.
The vehicle was temporarily registered and later, the same was entrusted with an authorised workshop to make necessary alterations. However, her efforts to get the vehicle registered were rejected by the authority and again she approached the court.