HC directs Transport Sec to "finalise issues" regarding school

The Madras High Court today asked the Secretary of the Transport Department to "finalise issues" regarding enforcement of the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act relating to school buses within four weeks failing which it asked the officer to remain present at the next hearing.
Amendments to the Act and the related rules were brought after a six-year-old girl was run over by a school bus when she slipped through a hole on the floor of the vehicle at Mudichur near here on July 26, 2012. Several PILs were filed after the incident seeking changes to the rules following public outcry.

However, the amendments were challenged by some private schools. The Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Matriculation and Higher Secondary Schools Association also moved the court against certain Rules of the Tamil Nadu Motor Vehicles (Regulation and Control of School Buses) Special Rules, 2012, alleging those were unconstitutional and discriminatory.
When the matter came up before the bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, the Advocate General submitted that the matter has been referred to the Transport commissioner.
"We are informed that the Secretary to Transport Department is the officer concerned and four weeks time is required to finalise the issue," the bench said.

"If it is still not finalisedwithin four weeks,the Secretary of Transport Department shall remain present in the court on the next date with relevant records," the court said and posted the matter for further hearing on October five.