Statute Details
- Title: Requisition of Resources (Vehicles) Regulations
- Act Code: RRA1985-RG1
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary legislation (sl)
- Authorising Act: Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273, Section 40)
- Commencement: 1st November 1985 (as indicated in the legislative history)
- Current Version: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the document status)
- Revised Edition: 1990 RevEd (25th March 1992)
- Citation: G.N. No. S 312/1985
- Key Provisions: Regulation 1 (Citation); Regulation 2 (Definitions); Regulation 3 (Particulars of vehicles)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Requisition of Resources (Vehicles) Regulations are subsidiary regulations made under the Requisition of Resources Act. In plain terms, they support the Government’s ability to manage and mobilise essential resources—specifically, vehicles—when the Act is invoked. The Regulations focus on one practical step: requiring vehicle owners (or persons in possession of vehicles) to provide specified information to the competent authority or authorised officers.
Although the Regulations are narrow in scope, they play an important administrative role. When the State needs to requisition resources, it must identify relevant assets quickly and accurately. Regulation 3 therefore sets out the “particulars of vehicles” that must be furnished on a prescribed form. This helps ensure that requisition orders, notices, and related communications can be served on the correct parties and that the Government has sufficient details to manage the vehicle effectively.
In practice, these Regulations are most likely to matter to lawyers advising vehicle owners, fleet operators, or persons who may be in possession of vehicles. They also matter to counsel representing public authorities, because compliance with the information-gathering mechanism can affect the legality and effectiveness of subsequent requisition steps under the parent Act.
What Are the Key Provisions?
Regulation 1 (Citation) provides the short title: the Regulations may be cited as the Requisition of Resources (Vehicles) Regulations. While this is standard drafting, it is relevant for legal referencing in correspondence, notices, and submissions.
Regulation 2 (Definitions) defines two central terms that determine who can act and how authority is exercised:
(1) “authorised officer” means an officer appointed by the Minister under regulation 3. This matters because Regulation 3 allows the competent authority or an authorised officer to require information from persons in possession of vehicles. A lawyer should therefore pay attention to whether the person demanding the information is properly appointed as an authorised officer.
(2) “competent authority” means the competent authority appointed under section 4 of the Act for the purposes of section 12 or 40 of the Act. This definition ties the Regulations to the parent Act’s framework. It also signals that the Regulations are not meant to operate in isolation; they are part of a broader statutory scheme for requisitioning resources.
Regulation 3 (Particulars of vehicles) is the operative provision. It empowers the competent authority or an officer appointed in writing by the Minister to order any person having in his possession any vehicle to furnish, on a form issued by the competent authority or authorised officer, specified particulars.
The obligation is triggered by possession: the duty is placed on “any person having in his possession any vehicle.” This is broader than “owner” alone. For practitioners, this raises practical questions in fleet and leasing contexts—e.g., whether a lessee, operator, or driver who has possession (even if not legal title) may be the person required to furnish the particulars. The Regulations do not define “possession,” so counsel may need to rely on general legal principles of possession and control, and the factual circumstances of who has custody or operational control of the vehicle.
Regulation 3 then lists the particulars that must be furnished:
- (a) Name and address of the owner of the vehicle
- (b) Make and year of manufacture of the vehicle
- (c) Description of the vehicle
- (d) Name and home address of the driver or operator of the vehicle
- (e) Insurance coverage for the vehicle
- (f) Usual place where the vehicle is parked during the day when not in use
- (g) Usual place where the vehicle is parked during the night
- (h) Address for the service of orders, notices and requisitions required to be served under the Act on the owner of the vehicle
From a compliance perspective, the list is comprehensive and operational. It covers identification (owner details, make/year, description), operational readiness (driver/operator identity), risk management (insurance coverage), and location/availability (usual day and night parking places). It also includes an explicit procedural requirement: the “address for the service” of future requisition-related documents on the owner. This is particularly significant because service and notice are often the fulcrum of administrative legality. If the address for service is inaccurate or incomplete, it may create disputes about whether notices were properly served.
Finally, Regulation 3 requires that the particulars be furnished on such form as may be issued by the competent authority or authorised officer. This indicates that the information must be provided in the prescribed format. For lawyers, this suggests that partial or informal responses may not satisfy the statutory requirement, especially if the form is designed to capture information in a way that supports verification and subsequent administrative actions.
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Regulations are structured in a short, functional manner, consistent with their administrative purpose. The document contains:
- Regulation 1: Citation (how the Regulations are referred to)
- Regulation 2: Definitions (key terms such as “authorised officer” and “competent authority”)
- Regulation 3: Particulars of vehicles (the main information-gathering power and the list of particulars to be furnished)
There are no additional parts or complex procedural steps in the extract provided; the Regulations operate as a targeted instrument within the broader requisition framework established by the Requisition of Resources Act.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The Regulations apply to any person having in his possession any vehicle when ordered by the competent authority or an authorised officer. This means the potential addressees are not limited to registered owners. In many real-world scenarios, vehicles may be possessed by persons other than the registered owner—such as fleet operators, drivers, or lessees—depending on who has custody and control.
However, Regulation 3 also requires information about the owner (name and address) and includes an address for the service of orders, notices and requisitions on the owner. Accordingly, the Regulations create a bridge between the person in possession (who must furnish particulars) and the owner (who will receive requisition-related documents under the Act). Practitioners should therefore consider advising both owners and operators on how to coordinate information and ensure that service addresses are correct.
Why Is This Legislation Important?
Even though the Regulations are brief, they are significant because they support the effectiveness of the requisition regime under the parent Act. Requisitioning vehicles is time-sensitive and operationally complex. The Government needs accurate vehicle and contact information to identify assets, locate them, and communicate with the correct parties. Regulation 3’s detailed list of particulars is designed to reduce uncertainty and delay.
For lawyers, the Regulations also raise important legal and procedural considerations:
- Authority and appointment: The demand must come from the competent authority or an authorised officer properly appointed under the Regulations. Where a person challenges a demand, questions of appointment and written authority may become relevant.
- Scope of obligation: The obligation is on the person in possession, which may differ from the registered owner. Counsel should assess who has possession and who can realistically provide the required particulars (including driver/operator details and insurance coverage).
- Service address accuracy: The requirement to provide an address for service of orders and notices on the owner is a potential litigation flashpoint. Ensuring correctness can reduce disputes about whether subsequent notices were properly served.
- Form-based compliance: Because particulars must be furnished on the prescribed form, counsel should ensure that submissions comply with the administrative requirements, not merely the substance of the information.
From a practical standpoint, vehicle owners and operators should treat Regulation 3 as part of their compliance readiness. In the event of an order, delays or incomplete information could complicate requisition processes and potentially expose parties to enforcement consequences under the parent Act (depending on how the Act provides for offences, penalties, or enforcement measures). While the extract does not set out penalties, the Regulations’ mandatory language (“may order” and “to furnish”) indicates that compliance is expected when an order is lawfully made.
Related Legislation
- Requisition of Resources Act (Chapter 273), including section 40 (authorising the making of these Regulations) and the provisions referenced in the definition of “competent authority” (sections 12 and 40).
- Requisition of Resources (Timeline) (as referenced in the legislation interface for version control and legislative history).
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Requisition of Resources (Vehicles) Regulations for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.