General U.S. NewsAug 4, 2026·2 min read

No insurance, no fuel? Supreme Court proposes pilot project at petrol pumps

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No insurance, no fuel? Supreme Court proposes pilot project at petrol pumps

Summary

The Supreme Court has proposed a major crackdown on vehicles being driven without valid insurance, asking the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to prepare a pilot project that could see petrol pumps check a vehicle's insurance before supplying fuel. Under the proposed system, vehicles without valid insurance could be denied petrol or diesel until the required cover is obtained. The move is part of a wider set of road safety measures proposed by the court, including linking automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras with vehicle and insurance databases, giving traffic police mobile tools to check insurance instantly and extending the mandatory third-party insurance period for newly purchased vehicles. The court has asked IRDAI and the road transport ministry to work on a pilot project that would allow petrol pumps to verify whether a vehicle has valid insurance before dispensing fuel. If the vehicle is found to be uninsured, the proposed system could allow fuel stations to refuse the supply of petrol or diesel. The measure is aimed at increasing compliance with mandatory motor insurance rules and making it harder for uninsured vehicles to remain on the roads. The proposal is a pilot project and does not mean that petrol pumps across the country will immediately start refusing fuel to uninsured vehicles. The Supreme Court has also proposed linking ANPR cameras installed on highways and roads with the VAHAN vehicle database and insurance databases. The Supreme Court's proposals are now to be worked out by the concerned authorities, with the pilot project expected to examine how the insurance verification system can be implemented without disrupting the functioning of fuel stations or legitimate vehicle use. For now, the proposals signal a significant tightening of India's approach to uninsured vehicles, with the court looking beyond conventional roadside enforcement towards technology and everyday services such as fuel purchases to improve compliance.

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Attack on Christians: US lawmaker says India's FCRA bill could hit bilateral ties

A proposed amendment to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) has come under criticism from US Congressman Riley Moore, who described it as "a clear attack against Christians" and warned it could become a bilateral issue between India and the United States. Calling the proposed amendments to the FCRA "a clear attack against Christians", he alleged that the legislation could allow the government to take control of churches and religious charities. His remarks come as the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 continues to trigger sharp debate during the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. In a post on X, the US Congressman referred to the long history of Christianity in India before raising concerns over the proposed amendments. "Christians have been in India since St. Thomas the Apostle travelled to the Malabar Coast just decades after the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ," he said. He then criticised the Bill, saying: "But despite this long Christian history, India's Parliament is considering amending Foreign Contribution Regulation Amendment (FCRA) rules to permit government takeovers of churches and religious charities." "This is a clear attack against Christians. If this bill proceeds in this way, it would be a point of major concern in our bilateral relationship with India," he added. The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010 , which governs how non-governmental organisations, charitable trusts, educational institutions, religious bodies and associations receive and use foreign donations. According to the background note accompanying the Bill, India had 14,449 active FCRA registrations as of July 15, 2026.

Channi’s options shrink as Congress refuses to budge in Punjab

Subscribed with another email? Unlock these with Subscription Published - August 05, 2026 01:01 am IST - CHANDIGARH Charanjit Singh Channi, Congress’s most prominent Dalit face in the State, may have to accept a diminished role in the party. | Photo Credit: File Photo Less than a year before the Punjab Assembly election, Congress leader Charanjit Singh Channi finds himself in a difficult position after locking horns with the party leadership over the recent organisation overhaul. The discord was triggered by the All India Congress Committee’s organisational overhaul on July 1. On July 3, the Lok Sabha member from Jalandhar and Congress’s most prominent Dalit face in the State convened a meeting of supporters at his Morinda residence, followed by another gathering in Mohali, in a clear show of strength aimed at persuading the high command to revisit its decision. He was conspicuous by his absence from an event last week, where Congress general secretary for Punjab Bhupesh Baghel kicked off a nine-day mass mobilisation programme. Warring as the Punjab Congress president, the faction led by the former CM has shown little sign of backing down. Channi, leaders such as Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Rana Gurjit are also believed to be upset with the revamp of the party unit, even as veteran leader Partap Singh Bajwa, the Leader of the Opposition in the State, is pushing for party unity to wrest power from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). “It appears that Congress factions are weighing their options and trying to outwit each other to gain a political edge. Channi, who was also the party’s chief ministerial face in the previous poll in which the Congress suffered a crushing defeat, called for “greater Dalit representation” in the party, adding that the community is “not getting due representation”. His remark, which brought the internal discord within the Congress into public, assumed significance given that Dalits constitute nearly 32% of Punjab’s population — the highest proportion among Indian States — making them a decisive electoral constituency. For the Congress, which had been emerging as a serious contender for the 2027 election, the continuing drama could result in loss of momentum.

No insurance, no fuel? Supreme Court proposes pilot project at petrol pumps

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