NEW DELHI: Opposition parties including the Congress, Left, Trinamool Congress and Biju Janata Dal on Monday criticised the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2017 in the Rajya Sabha , with the Congress terming it as a sell-out to corporates in the name of road safety. Trinamool Congress and BJD alleged that the amendments were meant to abrogate the states’ powers to implement the MV Act. YSR Congress has also opposed the Bill.

The Bill, which is likely to be voted upon on Tuesday, could face a tough test despite most members agreeing that the amendments were long overdue and much needed to curb road accidents. More than 400 persons die daily in road accidents, as per data maintained by the road transport and highways ministry.

Minister of state for road transport and highways Mansukh Mandaviya, while moving the Bill for consideration and passage in the Upper House, said it was aimed at bringing more transparency in issuing of driving licences, fitness certificates and registration of vehicles, etc. “We have tried, through this Bill, to use the technology available today to facilitate the public and ease transportation,” he told the Elders. The Bill also focusses to strengthen the road safety measures, enforcement including still penalty and accountability of automobile manufacturers for selling faulty vehicles.

Though Congress MP B K Hariprasad appreciated the government’s intention behind bringing the Bill, he slammed it for focusing on facilitating corporates rather than enhancement of road safety. He pointed out that Clause 44 of the Bill sought to pass on the powers of registration of vehicle from the Regional Transport Office to private dealers. Raising the scope for corruption, he said that while charges by RTO were anything between Rs 400-700, the dealers would charge anything between Rs 9,000 and Rs 15,000.

Hariprasad said the penalties proposed in the Bill were so high that a person may have to sell his vehicle to pay it. He also objected to the provision that empowers Centre to issue permits.

Supporting the Bill, Vinay Sahasrabuddhe of the BJP , who also headed the select committee that examined the Bill, said it had been introduced after elaborate consultations, including with the state transport ministers.

Trinamool Congress member Manish Gupta slammed the Bill alleging that it subverted the principle of federalism by seeking to abrogate powers of the state government relating to road transport. “It is the state government that must administer road transport. The Centre seeks to abrogate to itself all powers and roles that are to played in this sector,” he alleged. Echoing his concerns, BJD member Pratap Keshari Deb alleged that the Bill would take away basic state revenue chapter of every state.

YSR Congress MP Vijaisai Reddy demanded that the government withdraw the Bill, alleging that most of the changes suggested by the select committee had been overlooked.

