NEW DELHI: In a big ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court of India clarified that individuals holding a light motor vehicle (LMV) driving licence are legally allowed to drive transport vehicles with an unladen weight of up to 7,500 kg. This judgement, delivered by a five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, challenges previous decisions by insurance companies that rejected claims in accidents involving LMV licence holders driving transport vehicles.

Justice Hrishikesh Roy, who authored the unanimous verdict, stated that there was no solid evidence linking LMV licence holders to an increase in road accidents. He further emphasized that drivers with LMV licences, who spend a significant amount of time on the road, have valid concerns that should not be dismissed on technical grounds.

The bench, which also included Justices P.S. Narasimha, Pankaj Mithal, and Manoj Misra, had reserved the judgement on August 21. During the proceedings, Attorney General R. Venkataramani informed the court that consultations to amend the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, 1988, were nearing completion. The court urged the Centre to speed up the amendment process.

The case stemmed from disputes over insurance claims following accidents involving transport vehicles driven by individuals with LMV licences. Insurance companies had previously contested claims, arguing that such drivers were not authorized to operate these vehicles. They claimed that courts and motor accident claim tribunals often ruled in favor of the insured, overlooking the licensing requirements.

With this ruling, insurance companies will now need to revise their approach to handling claims involving transport vehicles driven by LMV licence holders, as the Supreme Court has confirmed that these drivers are legally permitted to operate vehicles weighing under 7,500 kg.

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