- New scooter, motorcycle might come with two new helmets
- Registration in Maharashtra could be stopped
The Maharashtra government is planning to ban sale and registration of scooters and motorcycles in the state if the OEMs and its dealers don’t provide helmets to the new buyers.
The transport commissioner of Maharashtra has informed this to SIAM. It says if these rules are not followed, then registration of two-wheelers in Maharashtra will be stopped immediately. It looks like OEMs and the dealers have been violating a PIL which stated the Rule 138(4)(f) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, which tells that at the time of purchase of the two-wheeler, the manufacturer shall supply a helmet to specifications prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards under the Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986.
If this new notification becomes a law, then dealers will give out two helmets to each and every new purchase. However, there are a few loopholes here. It’s still not sure who will bear the cost of the helmets. Will it be the OEMs, dealers or the customer itself? Interestingly, there have been many dealers in the state who have been asking to sign the customers a declaration saying ‘I have a helmet and I don’t need any from the dealer’. Through this route, the dealers are making sure not to get into any legal troubles.
