No insurance policy? Your vehicle may be auctioned

PANJIM: Beware, if you vehicle has met with accident and does not have motor insurance than it may well be sold off for compensation or may not be released at all by the court. 

As per the draft rules which makes insurance policy mandatory for every vehicle has been notified by the State government. 

Notification issued by Transport Director Nikhil Desai reads, “Government of Goa hereby makes the following rules so as to further amend the Goa Motor Vehicles Rules, 1991, by Insertion of new rule 299A.— After rule 299.”

The Section 299A prohibits against release of motor vehicle involved in accident.

“No court shall release a motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in death or bodily injury or damage to the property, when such vehicle is not covered by the policy of insurance against third party risks taken in the name of registered owner or when the registered owner fails to furnish copy of such insurance policy despite demand by investigating police officer,” the notification reads.

The rules further state that “unless and until the registered owner furnishes sufficient security to the satisfaction of the Court to pay compensation that may be awarded in a claim case arising out of such accident.”

Further, it says, “in case there is no insurance policy or compensation amount paid, the motor vehicle shall be sold off in the public auction by the magistrate having jurisdiction over the area where the accident had occurred, on expiry of three months of the vehicle being taken in possession by the investigating police officer, and proceeds thereof shall be deposited with the Claims Tribunal having jurisdiction over the area in question, within fifteen days, for purpose of satisfying the compensation that may have been awarded, or may be awarded in a claim case arising out of such accident”. 

 Notification says that the draft rules will be taken into consideration by the Government after the expiry of a period of 15 days from the date of publication of this Notification in the Official Gazette.

It says that all objections and/or suggestions to the said draft rules may be forwarded to the Director of Transport and Ex-officio Additional Secretary to the Government of Goa, Junta House, Panaji, Goa, before the expiry of the said period of 15 days so that they may be taken into consideration at the time of finalization of the said rules.