Date:28/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/28/stories/2008052854400600.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Pay tax even if vehicle is not roadworthy

Staff Reporter

BANGALORE: The State Government on Tuesday informed the Karnataka High Court that an owner or possessor of a motor vehicle is liable to pay vehicle tax and that the tax does not depend on the roadworthiness of the vehicle.

The State made the submission when a Division Bench comprising Justice K.L. Manjunath and Justice B.V. Nagaratna was hearing appeals by the State on who is responsible for paying vehicle tax.

The State said as long as registration of a vehicle is current, it is irrelevant whether the vehicle is in usable condition or not. It is mandatory that the owner/possessor of such a vehicle pay vehicle tax.

The question of actual usage or whether it is roadworthy or not is irrelevant for purposes of taxation, the State said.

The Bench admitted the appeal to decide the contentious issue on who is responsible for paying tax and adjourned further hearing on the case by two weeks.

Quashed

Justice N. Kumar on Tuesday quashed a notification by the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) calling for tenders for cleaning, sweeping and transporting municipal solid waste from APMC yards at Yeshwanthpur and Yelahanka in Bangalore.

The petitioners, E.R. Santosh and Veeranarayanachari, contended that the notification is illegal and that it is against the provisions of the Transparency Act. They said the notification did not mention the date, time and place when the tenders would be opened.

Green signal

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday refused to interfere with the construction of the Vidhana Soudha in Belgaum.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph and Justice A.N. Venugopala Gowda dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition by Social Justice Forum challenging the decision of the Government to construct the Vidhana Soudha near the erstwhile Vaccine Institute in Belgaum.

The petitioner contended that the site chosen for the construction is deemed forest land. The Government defended the location, saying that the petition was misconceived.