In Brief
This landmark Supreme Court judgment resolves a conflict in case law regarding whether drivers holding a licence for 'light motor vehicles' can drive transport vehicles (such as goods carriers) within the same weight category without a separate endorsement. The Court held that the definition of 'light motor vehicle' under Section 2(21) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 includes transport vehicles with gross vehicle weight not exceeding 7,500 kg. Consequently, a driver with a valid light motor vehicle licence is competent to drive transport vehicles and omnibuses of that weight class without additional endorsement. The 1994 amendment substituting 'transport vehicle' in Section 10(2)(e) applied only to heavier vehicle categories, not to the pre-existing light motor vehicle class. The judgment overruled conflicting earlier decisions and provided definitive guidance on driving licence requirements and insurance liability.
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