M/S Shri Balaji Stone Crusher Vs State of Rajasthan — Motor Accident Claims | Rajasthan HC (2025)

M/S Shri Balaji Stone Crusher Vs State of Rajasthan — Motor Accident Claims | Rajasthan HC (2025)

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petitions disposed of with directions: suspension of the Registration Certificates set aside/revoked during the consideration period, subject to the petitioners (with counsel) reporting before the notice-issuing authorities on 26.09.2025 (preferably 11:00 am-01:00 pm), filing a reply within 15 days, audience by the competent authority on 15.10.2025, adjudication within 15 days thereafter, and updating of the vehicle status on the official portal without further ado; no prejudice to either side; pending applications, if any, stand disposed.

Issue for consideration

Whether the respondents suspended the Registration Certificates of the petitioners' vehicles/trucks without complying with the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and allied statues, thereby violating procedural requirements and principles of natural justice. +3 more

Court's answer

This Court, without entering the arena of disputed questions of fact or the merits, held that the impugned order suspending the Registration Certificates of the petitioners' vehicles needed to be set aside because those vehicles are the source of bread and butter (livelihood) of the petitioners and their families.

Ratio / Principle

The setting aside of the suspension was made conditional: the petitioners, along with their counsel, shall report before the notice-issuing authorities on 26.09.2025, preferably between 11:00 am and 01:00 pm, and thereafter file their due reply within a period of 15 days.

Key takeaways

The competent authority will provide audience on 15.10.2025, and adjudication of the matter shall be carried out thereafter within a period of 15 days.ratio¶37
During the period of consideration of the petitioners' grievances, the suspended Registration Certificates of the vehicles owned/possessed by the petitioners shall stand revoked.ratio¶38
The status of the vehicles, as registered and entered upon the official portal concerned in furtherance of the consequential proceedings, shall be updated without further ado.

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Writ petition under Article 226 of the Constitution of India (S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 13211/2025, Rajasthan High Court, Jaipur Bench; Sameer Jain, J.; judgment dated 19/09/2025) by two stone-crusher firms acting through partner Gaurav Modi against suspension of the Registration Certificates of their goods vehicles by Rajasthan Transport/RTO authorities. Petitioners' counsel contended the suspension violated Sections 53, 113, 114, 194 and 200 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and principles of natural justice, that notices were defectively served (invoking the General Clauses Act, 1897 and CPC provisions requiring three-four hearing opportunities), and that hefty overloading penalties rested merely on third-party Mining Department reports without physical verification, citing a coordinate-bench judgment dated 28.07.2025 in SBCWP No. 9721/2025 (Kanwar Singh and Ors. v. State of Rajasthan and Ors.). The State (through Mr. Jeetendra Takar for AAG Mr. S.S. Naruka) maintained due procedure and natural justice were complied with, notices at RC addresses remain valid until amended, and urged dismissal for the efficacious alternative remedy under the Motor Vehicles Act and disputed questions of fact. Without entering disputed questions of fact or merits, and on the ground that the vehicles are the petitioners' source of bread and butter, the Court set aside the suspension conditionally: petitioners to appear before the notice-issuing authorities on 26.09.2025 (11:00 am-01:00 pm) and file replies within 15 days; audience fixed for 15.10.2025 with adjudication within 15 days thereafter; the suspended RCs stood revoked and the portal status of the vehicles was to be updated without further ado during the consideration period. Petitions disposed of with these directions; pending applications disposed.