Forklifts and cranes used in the factory premises are also motor vehicles and therefore must be registered under the Motor Vehicles Act, the Kerala High Court ruled. They therefore require mandatory registration and payment of motor vehicle tax, the court said.
It went on to dismiss the suit of the petitioner company of Mulanthurutha, Ernakulam, which was operating two forklifts and a hydraulic crane which did not have registration and insurance. The firm challenged the Motor Vehicles Department directive that prohibited it from operating these facilities without these two aspects.
The company argued that the device did not fall within the definition of the MV Act because it only functioned as a handling device on the plant premises and was never used on public roads.
The MVD claimed that they are operational and the factory premises are accessible to workers, visitors as well as other vehicles. The premises thus constituted a public place as stated in the law. Registration and insurance were thus key to securing compensation in the event of an accident.
The court ruled that the term motor vehicle included any mechanically propelled vehicle adapted for use on roads and dismissed the company’s claim.
Published – 24 Nov 2025 21:33 IST
