New amendment gives car dealers up to six months before registration-related fines apply to vehicles remaining at dealerships.
The Sindh Assembly has approved an amendment to the provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance, providing relief to car dealers over registration penalties on vehicles that remain at showrooms.
The amendment was introduced by Sindh Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar during the assembly session. The move seeks to address concerns raised by automobile dealers regarding penalties imposed on vehicles that are sold but remain within dealership premises.
Under the previous rules, an unregistered vehicle could face a fine if it was not registered within one month. The provision had created difficulties for dealers holding vehicles in their showrooms, particularly when the cars had not yet been taken onto public roads.
With the latest amendment, vehicles kept inside car showrooms will be exempt from registration-related penalties for a period of up to six months. The change is expected to provide dealerships with greater flexibility in managing vehicles that have yet to be delivered or placed into use.
Speaking about the amendment, Mukeash Kumar Chawla said the measure was introduced to address the concerns of car dealers. He clarified that the relaxation applies to vehicles remaining at showrooms and does not provide an unlimited exemption once a vehicle enters road use.
According to the clarification, penalties may become applicable when an unregistered vehicle is brought onto the road. This means vehicle owners and dealers will still need to comply with registration requirements once the car begins operating on public roads.
The Sindh Assembly also took up proposed changes to the Sindh Local Government Act 2013 during the session.
A 12-member special committee was formed to examine the proposed amendments and review the relevant provisions of the law. The committee has been tasked with studying the proposed changes and submitting its recommendations to the assembly within one week.
The amendment to the Motor Vehicle Ordinance is expected to ease administrative pressure on dealerships while distinguishing between vehicles stored at showrooms and those being used on public roads.