Delhi HC seeks response of Centre, Delhi govt on PIL for insurance coverage of electric vehicles

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the response of the Central Government and Delhi Government on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking issuance of direction to the respondent authorities to make the insurance cover of the electric vehicles compulsory for two-wheelers electric scooters or bikes in the light of provisions of Section 146 of Motor Vehicle Act.

The Petitioner Rajat Kapoor through Advocate RK Kapoor stated that a lack of rules relating to insurance will create a plethora of vehicles running or flying on the road which do not have any source of origin and this can create a situation of havoc in coming days. Specifically, on the point of third-party insurance, it is very important that Electric Vehicles should not be allowed to leave the showroom till the time the insurance formality is complete, advocate lawyer. The Bench of Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Navin Chawla on Wednesday issued notice to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Government of NCT Delhi. The Court fixed October 20, 2022, for further hearing in the matter.

The petition also seeks direction from respondent authorities to make the wearing of helmets compulsory for all types of Electric Bikes and two-wheeler electric scooters irrespective of the wattage of the vehicle. It also seeks appropriate guidelines till appropriate legislation is made to ensure standardized manufacturing of reliable and long-lasting batteries which do not catch fire while being charged or otherwise.
The plea stated that, if the EV is a two-wheeler with a maximum speed of up to 25 kmph and power of up to 250 watts, it does not require a driver's license to operate. But nevertheless, there must be a provision for insurance cover, to cover minimum third-party risks.

"The demand for Electric Vehicles (EVS) is slowly gathering pace in India. Apart from being a green alternative to petrol and diesel vehicles, they can also be cheaper to run in the long term. As the EV market is still developing in India, prospective buyers may have concerns about where they can find suitable Electric Vehicle Insurance", said the plea.
To cope with the growing demand, auto manufacturers are developing different types of EVs to cater to the different needs of private buyers. With the wider adoption of EV vehicles, new-age insurance companies must come forward to provide vehicle insurance for electric vehicles, further read the plea. (ANI)