The Karnataka High Court on Friday directed the State government to file its objections in connection with a PIL petition that has questioned why owners of private vehicles, registered outside Karnataka, have to pay lifetime road tax if they use their vehicles in Karnataka for more than 30 days.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Subhro Kamal Mukherjee and Justice B.V. Nagarathna issued the direction during the hearing of the petition filed by V. Balamuruganathan and five others.
Appearing for the State, the State Advocate-General contended that the State government has the authority to levy taxes though it is the Union government that has the power to regulate the use of vehicles under the Motor Vehicles Act.
The petitioners have questioned Section 3 of the Karnataka Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Act, 2014, which made it mandatory for the owners of out-of-Karnataka vehicles to pay a lifetime tax in Karnataka if vehicle is used continuously for more than a month in any part of the State.
The petitioners pointed out that according to the Motor Vehicles Act, owners of vehicles registered in one State can use it in another without registering the vehicle in the State where the vehicle is used for 12 months. It is only after a year that the State can impose lifetime tax on such vehicles as payment of lifetime tax requires assignment of new registration number for the such vehicles, the petitioners claimed.
‘Motor Vehicles Act says vehicles registered in one State can be used in another for a year’
