5Suspension or cancellation of registration

(1) If the registering authority is satisfied that the holder of certificate of registration has failed to comply with any of the provisions of sub-section (7) of section 4, it may give a notice by registered post or through electronic media or by any verifiable means to the holder of certificate of registration to rectify within a period of thirty days and in case such a holder fails to do so, it may revoke the certificate of registration on completion of enquiry.

(2) If a complaint is received by the registering authority against a common carrier from a consignor in respect of,--

(i) non-issuance of receipt of goods;

(ii) non-disclosure of the whereabouts of the goods in transit when asked by the consignor or consignee; or

(iii) detention of goods for delivery without valid reasons; or

(iv) demand for unreasonable additional charges at the time of delivery, which were neither disclosed nor agreed upon between the consignor and the consignee earlier; or

(v) non-payment of charges agreed and payable to truck-owners,

it may give a notice by registered post or through electronic media or by any other verifiable means to the holder of certificate of registration to rectify the same within a period of thirty days and in case such holder fails to do so, it may revoke certificate of registration for a period as may be prescribed under the rules on completion of that enquiry.

(3) If the registering authority or any other authority so authorised under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (59 of 1988) has received proof of violation of provision of sub-section (8) of section 4, it shall be competent to impose the penalty prescribed under section 194 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 on the common carrier, notwithstanding the fact that such penalty have been already imposed on and realised from the driver or the owner of the goods vehicle or the consignor, as the case may be.

(4) Any action for revocation of certificate of registration shall not be taken under sub-sections (1) and (2) unless the holder of the certificate of registration is given an opportunity of being heard in the enquiry and reasons for such action are given in writing by the registering authority.

(5) The registering authority in whose jurisdiction the main office of the common carrier is located shall be competent to take action under sub-sections (1) and (2) and any other registering authority who has noticed the violations or has received complaints under the said sub-sections, shall report such matter to the registering authority having jurisdiction over the main office.

(6) When the certificate of registration is revoked, the holder of the certificate of registration shall surrender the certificate of registration to the registering authority within a period of thirty days and it would be incumbent on the holder of the certificate of registration to complete the delivery andtransactions in respect of the consignments already accepted by the common carrier from any consignor prior to the revocation of the certificate of registration.

(7) The holder of a certificate of registration may, at any time, surrender the certificate to the registering authority which granted the registration and on such surrender the registering authority shall, after obtaining declaration from the holder of the certificate of registration that no liability is outstanding against him and that he shall discharge such liability, if held liable, revoke the certificate of registration:

Provided that if the surrender is in respect of a branch office, the endorsement in respect of the branch office shall be deleted from the certificate of registration and such deletion shall be notified by the registering authority having jurisdiction over the main office to such other authorities as may be prescribed.