No petrol diesel if there is no vehicle insurance:Supreme Court says insurance policies should be of 4 yrs for new cars 6 yrs for bikes

If a vehicle does not have third-party insurance, then it should not be given petrol-diesel. The Supreme Court has directed the central government to prepare this pilot project. Under this, if there is no insurance, vehicles will be refused fuel at petrol pumps. Along with this, the Supreme Court has also extended the time limit for mandatory third-party insurance for new vehicles. Let us understand through questions and answers what the court’s directive is, how it will be implemented and what impact it will have on the general public. Q1. What directive has the Supreme Court given regarding petrol-diesel and vehicle insurance? Answer: The bench of Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra has directed the central government to start a pilot project. Under this, petrol pumps will be linked to valid third-party insurance of vehicles. If a vehicle’s insurance is not found to be valid, then it will be refused petrol or diesel at the petrol pump. Until the vehicle owner gets insurance, the vehicle will not get fuel. Q2. Why did the Supreme Court decide to take such a strict step? Answer: According to the data presented before the court, approximately 56% of vehicles running on the country’s roads do not have any insurance at all. According to the Standing Committee on Finance (2024-25) report, when road accidents occur with these vehicles, victims or their families do not receive proper and timely compensation. Q3. How will insurance be checked at petrol pumps? Answer: As per the Supreme Court’s directive, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will work together on the pilot project. Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras will be installed at petrol pumps and main roads. These cameras will automatically connect the vehicle’s number plate with data from the Insurance Information Bureau (IIB) and the central government’s VAHAN portal to check insurance status. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has agreed to this arrangement. Q4. What changes will be made to third-party insurance rules for new vehicle buyers? Answer: The court has extended the mandatory period for compulsory third-party insurance purchased at the time of registration of new vehicles to 1 year… In 2018, a rule of 3 years for cars and 5 years for bikes was implemented, but even after 8 years have passed, crores of vehicles are running without insurance. That’s why this time period has been extended. Q5. How will the police find out during road checking whether there is insurance or not? Answer: Currently, state police do not have a uniform system to check insurance immediately on the spot. Therefore, the court has directed that state police should be provided with handheld devices or mobile apps. These devices will be directly connected to the VAHAN portal and Insurance Information Bureau (IIB) database. This will enable police to immediately check real-time insurance status of vehicles and issue E-challans. Q6. What are the directives to address the problem of long queues and stoppages at toll plazas? Answer: Keeping in mind the accidents on National Highways and long queues at toll plazas, the Supreme Court has directed the Centre to launch a pilot project on selected corridors. Under this, the process of stopping vehicles at toll plazas will be eliminated and replaced with an Automatic Detection System (ANPR system), so that vehicles can pass without stopping. Q7. What harm did uninsured vehicles cause to common people and road accident victims? Answer: Under Section 146 of the Motor Vehicle Act (MVA), third-party insurance is mandatory. Its main objective is to provide immediate financial compensation to road accident victims. When a vehicle is not insured, victims or their family members have to run around courts for years to get compensation and establish liability. The situation becomes particularly dire for those families where the earning member dies in an accident or becomes permanently disabled. Q8. Will vehicle owners get additional options or customization facilities for insurance? Answer: Yes, the Supreme Court has directed IRDA to provide private vehicle owners with separate policy options. This should include multiple choices along with base third-party cover, such as personal accident cover, add-ons, and own-damage cover, so that people can choose insurance according to their needs. Q9. What is Third-Party Insurance? When your vehicle causes damage to another person (third party), their vehicle, or their property, the insurance company compensates for that damage. Under Section 146 of the Motor Vehicles Act, third-party insurance for every vehicle is legally mandatory in India. This does not include coverage for damage to your own vehicle.