Sections 62A, 62B, 63, 64, 65 and 66 of the Motor Vehicles Act
These provisions regulate registration and fitness of oversized vehicles, the National Register and State Registers of Motor Vehicles, Central and State rule-making powers, and the requirement of permits for transport vehicles.
Section 62A - Prohibition of registration and fitness certificate for oversized vehicles
Section 62A prevents registration and fitness certification of vehicles that do not comply with the statutory construction, equipment and maintenance requirements referred to in section 110.
Registration: a registering authority cannot register a motor vehicle that contravenes a rule made under section 110(1)(a).
Fitness: a prescribed authority or authorised testing station cannot issue a certificate of fitness under section 56 to a vehicle that contravenes a rule made under section 110.
A contravention of section 62A is separately punishable under section 182B of the Act.
Section 62B - National Register of Motor Vehicles
Section 62B creates the statutory National Register of Motor Vehicles maintained by the Central Government. It is intended to integrate registration information across States within a national system.
The Central Government must maintain the National Register in the prescribed form and manner. State Registers are to be subsumed into the National Register by the date notified in the Official Gazette.
A certificate of registration issued or renewed under the Act is not valid unless it has been assigned a unique registration number under the National Register.
State Governments and registering authorities must transmit State Register information and data to the Central Government in the prescribed form and manner. State Governments may access and update National Register records in accordance with the Act and Central rules.
Section 63 - Maintenance of State Registers of Motor Vehicles
Section 63 requires each State Government to maintain a State Register of Motor Vehicles in the form prescribed by the Central Government for motor vehicles in that State.
The statutory particulars include registration numbers, years of manufacture, classes and types of vehicles, names and addresses of registered owners, and other particulars prescribed by the Central Government.
Section 64 - Power of Central Government to make rules
Section 64 authorises the Central Government to make rules for carrying into effect Chapter IV of the Act. The 2019 amendments expanded this power to support the revised registration framework.
The added matters include validity and renewal periods for registration certificates under section 41, temporary registration under section 43, conditions for dispensing with production of a new vehicle under section 44, electronic intimation under section 49, alteration and retrofitment under section 52, fitness-related matters under section 56, recycling under section 59, the National Register under section 62B, and State Registers under section 63.
Section 65 - Power of State Government to make rules
Section 65 authorises a State Government to make rules for Chapter IV on matters not specified in section 64. The 2019 amendment adjusted section 65(2) to reflect the substituted temporary-registration framework and the revised allocation of rule-making subjects.
In clause (f), the words and figures referring to registration marks under the proviso to section 43 were inserted. Clause (o) of section 65(2) was omitted.
Section 66 - Necessity for permits for transport vehicles
Section 66 is the principal statutory requirement governing permits for use of transport vehicles. Subject to the exemptions and other provisions of the Act, an owner cannot use or permit the use of a motor vehicle as a transport vehicle in a public place except in accordance with the conditions of a permit granted or countersigned by the competent transport authority.
The 2019 amendment added a proviso addressing a transport vehicle that has been issued a permit or permits as well as a licence under the Act. Such a vehicle may be used under the permit or permits, or under the licence, at the owner's discretion.
It also inserted section 66(3)(q), covering a transport vehicle issued a licence under a scheme under section 67(3) or section 88A(1), or plying under qualifying orders of the Central or State Government.
Permit categories, conditions, routes and procedural requirements must be read with the remaining provisions of Chapter V, the Central Motor Vehicles Rules and applicable State transport rules.
Official resources
Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 - India Code