New Delhi: It is illegal for states to charge special fees for giving fancy numbers to vehicles, Manoj Swaroop, the amicus curiae in the Madhya Pradesh government case, told the Supreme Court.
There is no provision for levying any other registration fee except for the one mentioned in Section 41 of the Motor Vehicles Act, he said.
The Madhya Pradesh government had introduced a special application and fees for booking a fancy number, but the High Court quashed the system. The Supreme Court is hearing an appeal filed by Madhya Pradesh against the HC order.
The amicus curiae pointed out that a state should only distribute the registration number issued by the central government by collecting the requisite fee as prescribed by law.
The Motor Vehicles Act allows only one application for registration. The application is closed once the number is issued. Another application and fee for booking a number in the meantime is not allowed.
States have the power to make certain rules under the Motor Vehicles Act. However, only the Centre has the authority to decide on matters relating to the registration system, the amicus curiae said.
