No Insurance No Fuel Supreme Court Directive: If you’ve been negligent in getting your vehicle insured, be careful. The country’s highest court has offered a revolutionary road safety suggestion that could impact both your pocket and your vehicle’s speed. The Supreme Court has directed the central government to develop a pilot project that would implement the “no valid insurance, no fuel” policy.
Insurance will be checked at the petrol pump itself
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Prashant Kumar Mishra has proposed a “no insurance, no fuel” model to ensure road safety. Under this scheme, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport (MoRTH) will work together. The plan is to link petrol pumps with vehicle insurance data. If your vehicle’s third-party insurance has expired, you won’t be able to get fuel at the petrol pump until you renew it.
More than half the vehicles in the country are without insurance.
The court also presented shocking statistics behind this strict stance. According to the data, out of the total 304.8 million vehicles in India, approximately 165.4 million vehicles, or approximately 56 percent, are running on the roads without insurance. This has the worst impact on road accident victims, who, due to legal complexities and lack of insurance, are unable to receive timely compensation. The court believes that this new system will force vehicle owners to obtain insurance.
The insurance period has changed, now the insurance will be for so many years.
The Supreme Court has not only tightened regulations but also extended the mandatory period for third-party insurance. The third-party insurance period for four-wheeled vehicles has been extended from three to four years, and for two-wheeled vehicles, it has been extended from five to six years. The court has directed IRDAI to issue immediate instructions in this regard to protect road safety.
Smart cameras will be installed on the highway, challan will be issued online.
Technology will now be used to identify uninsured vehicles. The Supreme Court has directed that ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) cameras be installed at toll plazas and major roads. These cameras will be directly connected to the “Vahan” portal and the Insurance Information Bureau. As soon as an uninsured vehicle is detected by these cameras, an automatic e-challan will be issued. This will eliminate the need for police to stop vehicles on the spot and ensure compliance with regulations.
Priority is to provide justice to the victims
The entire matter arose from a decision by the Telangana High Court upholding a decision that ordered compensation for the family of a man who died in an accident. The court clarified that the purpose of compulsory insurance is not merely to complete the legal process, but to protect accident victims from lengthy legal battles and provide them with financial security. All concerned departments have been asked to submit compliance reports by August 14th, and the next hearing will be held on August 18th.