Definitions

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,- (1) " fleet operator " means an operator holding on or after the 1st April 1978, not less than two hundred and fifty stage carriage permits in respect of services other than- (i) Express Service or, (ii) Service exclusively within Madras Metropolitan Area; (1-A) " Government " means the State Government; (2) " laden weight " in relation to a motor vehicle means, in case a permit is issued to the vehicle under the Motor Vehicles Act, the maximum laden weight specified in such permit; if no such permit is issued, the maximum laden weight specified in the registration certificate of the vehicle, and if such weight is not specified in such certificate, the maximum laden weight of the vehicle determined in such manner as the licensing officer may deem fit; " laden weight " in relation to a trailer means, in case a permit is issued to the vehicle to which the trailer is attached under the Motor Vehicles Act, the maximum laden weight specified in such permit in respect of the trailer and, if no such permit is issued, the maximum laden weight specified in respect of the trailer in the registration certificate of the vehicle to which the trailer is attached, and if such weight is not specified in such certificate, the maximum laden weight of the trailer determined in such manner as the licensing officer may deem fit; (3) " licensing officer " means an officer appointed by the Government to exercise the powers and perform the functions of a licensing officer under this Act; (4) " Madras Metropolitan area " means the City of Madras and such contiguous area of such city as the Government may, from time to time, specify by notification; (5) " Motor Vehicles Act" means the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 (Central Act IV of 1939); (6) " public road " means any street, road, square, court, alley, passage or riding path over which the public have a right of way, whether a thoroughfare or not, and includes the roadway over any public bridge or causeway; (7) " registered owner " means the person in whose name a motor vehicle is registered or deemed to be registered under the Motor Vehicles Act; (8) " tax " means the tax leviable under this Act; (9) " year " means the financial year; " half-year " means the first six months or the second six months of such year; and " quarter " means the first three months or the second three months of such half-year; (10) words and expressions used but not defined in this Act shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Motor Vehicles Act.