Publication of amendment in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-27082026-275815 EXTRAORDINARY PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (i) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 694] NEW DELHI, TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2026/BHADRA 3, 1948 MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS NOTIFICATION New delhi, the 21st August, 2026 G.S.R. 760(E). -The following draft of certain rules further to amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, which the Central Government proposes to make in exercise of the powers conferred by section 110 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988), is hereby published as required by sub-section (1) of section 212 of the said Act, for information of all persons likely to be affected thereby; and notice is hereby given that the said draft rules will be taken into consideration after the expiry of thirty days from the date on which the copies of this notification as published in the Gazette of India, are made available to the public; The objections or suggestions which may be received from any person in respect of the said draft rules before the expiry of the aforesaid period will be considered by the Central Government. Objections and suggestions to these draft rules, if any, may be sent to the Additional Secretary (MVL, Transport & Road Safety), Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Transport Bhawan, Parliament Street, New Delhi-110 001 or on the email: [email protected]; Draft Rules 1. Short title and commencement. - (1) These rules may be called the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 2026. Amendment) 2) Save as otherwise provided in these rules, they shall come into force on 01st October 2026. 2. In the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (hereinafter referred to as the said rules), in rule 2, for sub-rule (u), the following shall be substituted, namely: "(u) 'Battery Operated Vehicle' means a vehicle adapted for use upon roads and powered exclusively by an electric motor whose traction energy is supplied exclusively by a traction battery installed in the vehicle: Provided that a two-wheeled battery-operated vehicle shall not be deemed to be a motor vehicle for the purposes of the Act, if all the following conditions are verified and certified by a testing agency specified in rule 126, namely:- (a) the vehicle is equipped with an electric motor having thirty-minute power of less than 0.6 kW; (b) the maximum speed of the vehicle is less than 25 km/h or as amended from time to time; (c) the vehicle is fitted with suitable brakes and retro-reflective devices, namely, one white reflector in the front and one red reflector at the rear; (d) in the case of a pedal-assisted vehicle equipped with an auxiliary electric motor, in addition to the above conditions, the thirty-minute power of the motor is less than 0.6 kW and the motor output is progressively reduced and finally cut off as the vehicle reaches a speed of 25 km/h or as amended from time to time, or sooner if the cyclist stops pedalling. Explanation.-The thirty-minute power of the motor shall have the meaning assigned to it in AIS-049 (Rev.1), and the method of verification shall be as prescribed in AIS-041 (Rev.1), as amended from time to time. All vehicles specified in the above proviso shall comply with the safety requirements specified in Annex A of AIS-049 (Rev. 1), as amended from time to time." 3. In rule 125-N, i. The item (i) of the proviso shall be substituted by the following namely:- "(i) Vehicle is equipped with an electric motor having thirty minute power less than 0.6 kW;" ii. Item (iv) shall be omitted." [F. No. RT-11036/23/2026-MVL] MAHMOOD AHMED, Addl Secy. Note: The principal rules were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part-II, Section 3, Sub-section (i), vide notification number G.S.R. 889(E), dated the 16th September, 2020, and lastly amended vide Notification number ........ Dated.