Business
Madras HC keeps bumper-to-bumper insurance order in abeyance

The Madras High Court on a representation of the non-life insurance sector body, the General Insurance Council, has kept its earlier order in abeyance on the compulsory bumper-to-bumper insurance cover for five years for all new cars and two wheelers.
Last month, the Madras High Court by an order made the costly bumper-to-bumper insurance cover compulsory for all new private cars sold from September 1, 2021.
The General Insurance Council in its representation while saying that non-life insurers are prepared to comply with the court’s order also pointed out that they are merely distributors of the products approved by sectoral regulator Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI).
The Council also requested the court for 90 days’ time to effect changes in their computer systems after due approval for IRDAI.
The court on its part on Wednesday ordered, Council and IRDAI as necessary parties to this case, in addition to making the Additional Chief Secretary, Transport Department, Chennai and the Joint Transport Commissioner (R), Chennai as Respondents.
The state government on August 31 had issued a circular ordering vehicle registering offices to abide by the court’s order making it compulsory for new cars and two wheelers to have bumper-to-bumper insurance cover at the time of registering the vehicles.
Vehicle insurance policies are two parts — own damage (insurance for the vehicle against damage, theft) and third party liability (liability for third parties).
The third party insurance cover is mandatory whereas the insurance cover for vehicle damage is not mandatory.
The Madras High Court order is for making insurance cover for vehicles mandatory.
Commenting on the lack of awareness on the part of car owners about the liability for occupants of the car the court while hearing a case had ordered: “Therefore, this court directs that whenever a new vehicle is sold after 01.09.2021, it is mandatory for coverage of bumper-to-bumper insurance every year, in addition to covering the driver, passengers and owner of the vehicle, for a period of five years.”
“Thereafter, the owner of the vehicle must be cautious in safeguarding the interest of driver, passengers, third parties and himself/herself, so as to avoid unnecessary liability being foisted on the owner of the vehicle, as beyond five years, as on date there is no provision to extend the bumper-to-bumper policy, due to its non-availability,” the had court ordered.
“It is a patently untenable order (court’s order) and would not stand legal scrutiny if the vehicle makers or any other aggrieved party goes on appeal,” D. Varadarajan, a Supreme Court advocate specialising in company/competition/insurance laws, had told IANS.
One of the interesting points in the court’s order issued on Wednesday is that it clarifies bumper-to-bumper insurance as a package policy.
A bumper-to-bumper insurance is generally termed as an insurance cover where the claims for parts are settled without applying depreciation whereas in the case of package policy or comprehensive policy, claims are settled after applying depreciation on replaced parts.
National
Big relief for Kunal Kamra as Bombay HC grants protection from arrest

Mumbai, April 25: In a major relief for stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, the Bombay High Court on Friday granted him protection from arrest in connection with an FIR lodged over his satirical video and his controversial “gaddar” (traitor) remark aimed at Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The court directed the Mumbai Police not to take any coercive action against Kamra, who is currently residing in Chennai.
The FIR had been filed following the circulation of a video in which Kamra allegedly mocked Shinde and referred to him as a “gaddar,” sparking outrage among the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) supporters.
While restraining the police from arresting the comedian, the court, however, allowed investigators to proceed with their inquiry.
It permitted the Mumbai Police to travel to Chennai to question Kamra, with the assistance of the local police.
The court said if the police file a charge sheet, the trial court should not proceed till the High Court decides the quashing petition filed by Kamra.
Kamra had filed a plea before the High Court seeking to quash the FIR filed against him.
Earlier on April 16, the High Court had granted him interim bail, which has now been made regular.
The FIR was filed at Khar police station following a complaint by Shiv Sena legislator Muraji Patel after Kamra, during a performance of his stand-up show Naya Bharat, allegedly referred to Shinde as a ‘gaddar’.
Kamra was initially granted interim anticipatory bail by the Madras High Court before he moved the Bombay High Court to seek quashing of the FIR and grant of regular bail.
The remark was purported as a reference to Shinde’s political defection from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena to join hands with the BJP, which led to a dramatic split in the party and the rise of a new ruling coalition MahaYuti.
Business
Demand for homes priced Rs 1 crore and above boosts market in India: Report

Mumbai, April 24: The demand for homes prices Rs 1 crore and above bolstered the Indian property market in the first quarter this year, preventing overall sales of 65,250 units from hard landing, a report said on Thursday.
Residential sales in Q1 2025 (January-March) experienced only a modest decline and added up to 65,246 units. This limited drop was primarily due to robust demand in the Rs 3-5 crore and Rs 1.5-3.0 crore segments, which helped counterbalance the slowdown in relatively affordable housing, according to a JLL report.
The steady growth in higher ticket size homes indicates increasing affluence among homebuyers, changing lifestyle preferences and buyers prioritising larger and premium properties.
According to the report, housing sales in India’s top seven cities continued to be dominated by Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Pune, which collectively accounted for 66 per cent of Q1 sales.
High concentration of MNCs and startups creating significant employment opportunities and ongoing infrastructure improvements make these cities increasingly attractive places to live and work.
It is interesting to note that over the last few quarters a significant share of quarterly sales volume has been contributed by projects launched during the same quarter.
Q1 2025 was no exception, with around one-fourth of its sales being contributed by quarterly new launches. Launches by reputed developers with assurance of timely delivery and steady price appreciation, are driving the trend, the report informed.
“The residential real estate market is showing signs of a shift in buyer preferences with lowering of demand for less than Rs 1 crore housing and a growing affinity for mid to high-end properties. This as well suggests a potential upward movement in the overall market dynamics,” said Dr Samantak Das, Chief Economist and Head of Research and REIS, India, JLL.
“This upswing in the higher-priced segment demand has shielded the overall housing sales from a sharper decline,” Das added.
Developers are focusing more on mid to high-end projects to align with current demand patterns. High-end housing sector experienced a steady upswing with 107 per cent year-on-year growth in launches of properties priced at Rs 1 crore and above, driven by strong sales in this segment.
Growth in launches despite economic uncertainties signals robust developer confidence in high-end housing demand, said the report, adding that 2025 is poised for robust growth in the residential sector demand.
Business
GreenLine flags off LNG truck fleet for Bekaert to drive sustainable logistics

Mumbai, April 24: GreenLine Mobility Solutions Ltd., an Essar venture and India’s only green logistics operator of LNG and electric-powered heavy commercial trucks, has partnered with Bekaert, a global leader in tire reinforcement technology, to decarbonise road logistics and support India’s vision of a gas-based economy.
The partnership was flagged off with the deployment of GreenLine’s LNG-powered trucks at Bekaert’s Ranjangaon Plant, marking the beginning of a pilot phase that aims to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of Bekaert’s logistics operations.
Each GreenLine LNG truck is expected to reduce up to 24 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, contributing to Bekaert’s ambition of becoming carbon net-zero by 2050 and achieving 65 per cent of sales from sustainable solutions.
Commenting on the partnership, Anand Mimani, CEO, GreenLine Mobility Solutions Ltd, said, “Our partnership with Bekaert demonstrates the growing commitment of forward-thinking corporates to drive sustainability at scale. At GreenLine, we are proud to offer not just green trucks, but an integrated ecosystem — from LNG refuelling to real-time telematics — that empowers our partners to make meaningful progress on their net-zero goals.”
Dinesh Mukhedkar, Procurement Operations Lead — South Asia and Procurement Global Shared Service Centre Lead, Bekaert, added, “As part of our purpose ‘Establishing the new possible,’ and our ambition to lead in safe, smart, and sustainable solutions, decarbonising logistics is an essential step. This directly supports our commitment to ESG principles and long-term sustainability goals.”
GreenLine’s expanding fleet of LNG-powered trucks has already clocked more than 40 million km, avoiding over 10,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The company’s ongoing expansion includes plans to deploy over 10,000 LNG and EV trucks, supported by a nationwide network of 100 LNG refuelling stations, EV charging hubs, and battery swapping facilities — targeting a reduction of 1 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
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