T’puram: Yards will be set up in every taluk to keep vehicles seized for non-payment of tax, transport minister C P John said while introducing the Kerala Motor Vehicles Tax Amendment Bill, 2026, in the assembly on Wednesday.The minister said the proposed amendment was aimed at addressing the lack of adequate facilities to keep seized vehicles. Under Section 11 of the 1976 Act, motor vehicles department officers not below the rank of assistant motor vehicles inspector and police officers not below the rank of sub-inspector are authorised to seize vehicles being used or kept for use in the state without payment of tax. However, govt does not have sufficient land with the required facilities to keep such vehicles. As a result, the existing legal provisions could not be implemented effectively.Govt has decided to establish authorised yards in every taluk to resolve the issue, the minister said.Under the new law, vehicle owners will have to pay the fee for transporting a seized vehicle to the yard as well as the parking fee for keeping it there. Even if the owner produces proof of payment of the tax, the vehicle will be released only after all these fees have been paid in full. Govt will decide the fee rates later.The minister said the new system would not impose any additional financial burden on govt. After rejecting a point of order raised by opposition member K Premkumar, the bill was referred to the subject committee for consideration.
