Keralam Assembly passes the Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill for taluk-level yards to hold seized vehicles

28 October 2026

The Kerala Legislative Assembly passed the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2026. It provides for dedicated yards at the taluk level to store vehicles seized for non-payment of motor vehicle tax. Owners will have to pay transportation charges for moving a seized vehicle to the yard and parking fees for the period it is kept there, and a vehicle is released only after those charges are cleared, even if the pending tax has been paid. The government will fix the rates separately. Transport Minister C P John replied to the amendments moved by members, saying there is at present no law to seize and store the vehicles of tax evaders. The Bill becomes law after the Governor's assent.