Public suggestions invited for notifying rules for registering nominees of motor vehicle owners

It will soon be possible for the vehicle owners to appoint a nominee for their vehicles. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has invited suggestions and comments from the public and all stakeholders on the proposed amendment to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 to facilitate the owner of the vehicle for nominating a person in the Registration Certificate, RC. The draft notification has been published by the Ministry.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in a tweet today said, "Public suggestions invited by @MORTHIndia for notifying rules for registering nominees of motor vehicle owners."

Nomination facility is proposed to be incorporated at the time of registration of the vehicles. This would help the motor vehicle to be registered or transferred in the name of the nominee, in case of the death of the owner of the vehicle. The process is otherwise cumbersome and non-uniform across the country.

The amendments proposed in the Central Motor Vehicles Rule, 1989 are:

(a) Rule 47. Application for registration of motor vehicles:- An additional clause is proposed to be inserted wherein "proof of identity of the nominee if any" to enable the owner to nominate anyone to be the legal heir of the vehicle in case of death.

(b) Rule 55. Transfer of ownership:- In sub-rule (2), it has been proposed that an additional clause may be inserted wherein "proof of identity of the nominee if any" to enable the owner to nominate anyone to be the legal heir of the vehicle in case of death.

(c) Rule 56. Transfer of ownership in case of death:- (i) In sub-rule (2), which is regarding the process to transfer the vehicle to the legal heir in case there is no nominee has been specified by the registered owner, it is proposed that an additional clause may be inserted wherein "proof of identity of the nominee if any" to enable the owner to nominate a nominee.

(d) A new sub-rule for insertion wherein it has been proposed that in a case where the nominee is already specified, the vehicle will be transferred in the name of nominee and nominee will have to upload the death certificate on the portal to inform the registering authority and apply for a new certificate of registration in his name through the portal which will be faceless if Aadhaar authentication is chosen by the nominee. For Change in Nominee in Contingency, it is proposed the possibility of change in nominee in case of any contingency arising out of special circumstances viz., divorce, division of property, transfer of assets without sale may be arrived at with an agreed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for such nomination, which may be done by such owners.

(e) Rule 57. Transfer of ownership in case vehicle is purchased in public auction:- In sub-rule (1) which is regarding the application for registration of motor vehicles, An additional clause may be inserted wherein "proof of identity of the nominee, if any" to enable the owner to nominate anyone to be the legal heir of the vehicle in case of death.

(f) Amendment of FORM 20, Form 23 A, 24, 30, 31 and 32 have also been proposed for amendment to include details of the nominee and the declaration from the registered owner for entering the details of the nominee.

Certificates/orders issued by SDM/DM/Tribunals/ Hon'ble Courts may also be used for facilitating this citizen-friendly service and such window would be made available in the proposed amendment.