Car sales resume in Assam after Gauhati HC reverses ban

Bringing respite to several carmakers, the Gauhati high court has revoked the ban that it earlier imposed on the sale and registration of passenger vehicles under 1,500kg of weight. Following orders of the apex court, vehicles that meet the prescribed crash test and emission norms in the country will be allowed to be sold and registered in the state.

The court issued an order stating that there cannot be any prohibition restricting registration and sale of four-wheelers with a mass of up to 1,500kg and quadricycles that have undergone the crash and emission tests conforming to the requirements and standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standards and certified by the statutory authority.

The order came after Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) filed a petition in the apex court challenging the Assam state transport department's decision to ban the sale and registration of popular cars such as Maruti Alto and Swift as well as Hyundai EON and i10 hatchback. 

SIAM through its petition explained the apex court that cars sold in India have cleared crash, safety and emission tests conducted by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI, Pune), as per the mandates of Motor Vehicles Act.

The northeastern states account for 12 per cent of car sales in the country, according to SIAM.