The new 2014 Road Transport and Safety bill though a good initiative aimed at encouraging road discipline has been giving nightmares to civilians. This time around the Tamil Nadu government has opposed the move and urged the center to rework on the rules citing encroachment of state powers. The state has said that the bill, “erodes and abrogates the powers of the state government and the responsibility cast on the state.”
Speaking more on the issue, V Senthilbalaji, Tamil Nadu minister for Transport, said, “The competence of the state legislature and the state government to frame rules on road transport, public safety have been completely eroded and were sought to be vested with statutory bodies to be created under the new Act...The rationale to introduce such drastic changes and do away the existing provisions in the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, is totally unwarranted.” The minister has reportedly engaged in a meeting with Transport Development Council (TDC) and National Road Safety Council (NRSC) in new Delhi, to encourage redrafting the bill based on clause-wise examination of the proposed law.
The minister further added, “In such a situation, the state legislature cannot implement its well-planned welfare schemes without the prior approval of the National Authority. Hence, this bill seriously encroaches upon legislating competence of the states.” Adding further he said, “The Motor Vehicle Tax, which is a major revenue source to the state's ex-chequer will be left to the decision of the National Authority. It will severely affect the state's revenue resources.”
