Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 14 (PTI) Keralam Transport Minister C P John introduced a Bill in the state Assembly on Wednesday to set up dedicated yards in all taluks to keep vehicles seized for non-payment of motor vehicle tax.
The Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeks to address the shortage of adequate facilities to safely store vehicles seized for tax violations, which has hampered the effective implementation of the existing law, the minister said.
Under the proposed system, vehicle owners will have to pay charges for transporting seized vehicles to the designated yards as well as parking fees for the period they remain there.
Even if owners produce documents showing that the pending tax has been paid, their vehicles will be released only after the transportation and parking charges are paid in full.
The government will decide the rates of these charges separately, according to the Bill.
The proposed arrangement will not impose any additional financial liability on the government, it said.
Under the Kerala Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1976, authorised Motor Vehicles Department officers of at least the rank of Assistant Motor Vehicles Inspector and police officers of at least the rank of Sub-Inspector can seize vehicles suspected of being used in the state without paying the applicable tax, it said.
The law also provides for necessary arrangements to ensure the safe custody of seized vehicles pending the production of proof of tax payment.
However, the provisions could not be enforced effectively due to the unavailability of adequate and suitable government land with the necessary facilities for the safe custody of seized vehicles, the Bill said.
To address this problem, the government has decided to establish Approved Vehicle Seizure Yards (AVSY) in all taluks of Keralam, it said. PTI LGK ADB
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