Just Rs 5000? Kerala HC's response to fine imposed for vehicle modification

With the increase in vehicles on the road, accidents are also on the rise. As per the figures till June 2026, 2049 people died in road accidents in Kerala. In 2025, there were about fifty thousand road accidents. Of these, 3,733 people died and 56,922 were injured. It is reassuring that with the stricter traffic rules and increased fines for violations, the number of road accidents showed a dip in the last two years compared to previous years. It is also a fact that making helmets mandatory has led to a reduction in the number of deaths in two-wheeler accidents. Therefore, compromising on road safety is unacceptable. The order issued by the Kerala High Court against unauthorised modifications in vehicles should also be evaluated in this context.

The case came before the High Court as part of the Motor Vehicles Department's action to impose a fine on the modification of a Mahindra Thar jeep used for flood relief operations. The fine imposed on the Thar jeep was Rs 5,000. The Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice S. Muralikrishna said that the fine was too low and suggested that if multiple modifications are made to a vehicle, instead of imposing a lump sum fine, a fine of Rs 5,000 should be imposed for each violation. The High Court clarified that the state government has no legal authority to grant exemption for such unauthorised modifications, which are against the Central Motor Vehicles Act.

The High Court also directed the Motor Vehicles Department and the Kerala Police to jointly take strong steps to prevent illegal modifications.

Some of the modifications that the High Court pointed out as causing accidents and violating the law should be completely banned. The most important of these are LED lights, flash lights, and blue-red strobe lights installed in headlights. These obscure the view of vehicles coming from the opposite direction. Similarly, the order states that wide tyres and wheel spacers that protrude outside the body of the vehicle should not be allowed, as these pose a great threat to pedestrians and two-wheelers. It has also been requested that exhaust kits that create excessive noise and fire by modifying silencers.

Generally, youngsters have a penchant for modifying vehicles. The administrators can decide whether to allow changes in the colour and painting of vehicles, taking into account the opinions of experts, and make changes to the law accordingly. In any case, vehicle owners and motor vehicle officials are equally responsible for complying with the existing law as it is.