"No PUC, NO Insurance Renewal " - Hon. Supreme Court. : Adv. ROHiT ERANDE. ©

 "No PUC, No Insurance Renewal " - Hon. Supreme Court. :

 Adv. ROHiT ERANDE. ©

Facts in short :

1. The Hon. Apex Court has been giving directions for decades now to curb the menace of Pollution. As we all are aware, the main sources contributing to air pollution are well identified i.e. Industrial Pollution, Vehicle Exhaust, resuspended dust on the roads due to vehicle movement and construction activities.

2. The Environment crusader M.C. Mehta literally single handedly fighting against this menace. Last year, their Lordships of Hon. Apex Court passed interim order thereby making obtaining mandatory PUC i.e. Pollution Under Control Certificate before renewing Vehicle Insurance. (Ref. M.C. Mehta V/s. Union of India, WP No. 13029/1985, order dated 04/02/2019. Please see the following link for the Order.  https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/1985/63998/63998_1985_Order_04-Feb-2019.pdf

3. In the said Order Hon. Apex Court has already given directions in 2017 to the Government regarding PUC. i.e. making full payment prior to PUC, to check the PUC Centers from time to time and with rigors measures, to take stringent action against PUC Centers involved in malpractices, to invent and erect the technology on roads  which shall identify the polluting vehicles and to take action against manufacturers of polluting vehicles. However, most of these guidelines are waiting for implementation. 

4. Recently, on 20th August, 2020, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) passed the circular thereby directing all the Insurance Companies to strictly and scrupously  follow the aforesaid guidelines of Hon. Apex Court and has directed all the Insurance Companies not to renew the Vehicle Insurance unless there is a valid PUC. 

Nevertheless, considering the Lock down, Hon. Apex Court has already impliedly renewed various Licenses, Certificates under Motor Vehicles Act, till 30th September, 2020.

5. It is an offense under Motor Veichle Act for driving Veichle without PUC Certificate and for first offence, fine is Rs.1000/- and for subsequent offenses fine is Rs.2000/-. 

6 On  the other hand, few experts have always been questioning the need and efficacy of PUC Certificate, as now many vehicles like having Bharat-VI standards, need not even require PUC Certificate. Be that as it is. As on today we have to follow the Law of the Land and it is also not so tedious job to acquire a PUC.  So go to authorized  PUC Center, which now a days would issue online PUC Certificate. 

Thanks and Regards

Adv. ROHiT ERANDE ©