Madras High Court stays TN govt directive debarring use of old vehicles by driving schools

Chennai: The Madras High Court on Saturday stayed the operation of an order of the Tamil Nadu government debarring the of use over eight-year old vehicles by driving schools in the state.

Justice R Suresh Kumar granted the injunction while passing interim orders on a writ petition from the Tamil Nadu Federation of Driving Schools.

The court granted an order of injunction restraining the respondents from insisting upon the members of the petitioner federation merely because those vehicles have completed eight years life period in consonance with the impugned clause in a circular dated November 11, 2011, for a period of four weeks, it said.

"Having heard the submissions made by the counsel for the petitioner and after having gone through the relevant provisions referred to above under the Motor Vehicles Act and the Rules made therein and also having gone through the impugned clause...of the circular issued in 2011, this court feels that some interim arrangement can be made."

"Accordingly, this Court is inclined to grant an order of injunction restraining the respondents and their men, from insisting upon the members of petitioner's federation to replace their existing vehicles used or pressed into service merely because those vehicles have completed eight years life period in consonance with the impugned Clause 8.1.1 of the Circular No.62 of 2011 dated November 11," the bench said.