Disabled Persons Can Register Vehicles Under Ownership Category Of ‘Divyangjan’

The Road Transport Ministry has asked states to register vehicles owned by people with disabilities under the ownership category of "Divyangjan" instead of insisting on only new and adapted vehicles in order to extend tax benefits to them.

Persons with disabilities who own a vehicle and hire a driver can’t be deprived of getting the vehicle registration under the "Divyangjan" category.

This means that now it is the ownership of the vehicle, and not the type of vehicle, that will be the deciding factor for registration under the "Divyangjan" category.

The Ministry issued a circular to the effect after receiving several complaints citing how the state registering authorities were not recording ownership type as "Divyangjan" in the registration certificate of vehicles owned by such persons.

This deprives them of availing the goods and services tax (GST) and road tax benefits, and exemptions such as paying toll on highways.

The Ministry has said that a person with disabilities may desire recording the ownership type of his or her vehicle under "Divyangjan" in the registration certificate under different circumstances, and the state authorities can’t refuse such an application.

It said that these conditions include a person with disability hiring a driver with a valid driving licence.

Second, a Divyangjan may not be able to afford a new vehicle, and once he or she applies for registration of the vehicle in their name, it should be registered under the ownership category of "Divyangjan."

The third condition is of a vehicle owner becoming physically disabled and then applying for a change in the ownership category.

In that case too, the registration authorities must change the ownership category to "Divyangjan."

Vehicles owned by people with 40 per cent disability are eligible for registration under the ownership category of "Divyangjan."

The Ministry has asked the state transport commissioners to direct their registering authorities to comply with the norms.

It has also suggested that in case there is a need, they can amend the State Motor Vehicle Taxation Act/State Motor Vehicle Rules to extend this benefit to persons with "benchmark disability."