Karnataka HC directs State govt. to register vehicles of private company employees under BH series

The amended rule states that the employees of private sector are required to submit working certificate in the prescribed form to claim the BH series registration for their vehicles

The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed the State government to register the non-transport vehicles of the eligible employees of private companies in Bharat (BH) series as per the law amended by the Central government in August 2021.

Justice C.M. Poonacha passed the order while allowing the petitions filed by T. Shalini, an employee of Accenture Solutions Pvt. Limited and others. The petitioners had questioned rejection of their application for registration of their vehicles under the BH series. 

The State Transport Department, by a circular issued on December 20, 2021 had extended benefit of BH series only to the vehicles owned by the officers of All India Service, Central Government employees holding posts of inter-State transfer; and Bank officers holding posts of inter-State transfer.

The petitioners had contended that this circular was contrary to the amended Central Motor Vehicles (20th Amendment) Rules 2021, for non transportation vehicles, issued on August 26, 2021.

However, the State government had claimed that it is difficult to ascertain transferable jobs in private companies as majority of the employees work on contract basis and they change jobs frequently. And this situation would impact collection of road tax due to difficulty to determine transferable jobs in private companies, the State government has stated.

On the other hand, the Central government has made it clear to the Court that the facility under BH series is applicable on voluntary basis to Defence personnel, employees of Central Government/State Government/Central/State Public Sector Undertakings and private sector companies/organisations, which have their offices in four or more States/Union territories. 

The amended rule states that the employees of private sector are required to submit working certificate in the prescribed form to claim the BH series registration for their vehicles, and the notified government and public sector employees will have to produce copy their official identity cards to avail this facility.