Centre seeks legal view as states set traffic fines below prescribed range
The Union government sought legal opinion on whether the states could set penalties below the prescribed range under compoundable offences like speeding and driving without licence, senior officials told CNBC-TV18.
The Union government sought legal opinion on whether the states could set penalties below the prescribed range under compoundable offences like speeding and driving without licence, senior officials told CNBC-TV18.
“We have noticed that some states are going below the prescribed range in compoundable offences. We are seeking legal opinion on that. In non-compoundable offences, we are clear that they cannot go below the prescribed limit,” one of the people aware of the development said.
On Tuesday, the BJP-ruled Gujarat made a surprise move and reduced fines under the new Motor Vehicles Act, including those categories of compoundable offences where a range is not prescribed. For example, in case of not wearing a helmet, the state has set the penalty at Rs 500, while this invites fine of Rs 1,000 and disqualification of licence for three months as per the act.
Following this, several states including Karnataka are now reviewing these penalties.
Introduced for the first time in Lok Sabha in August 2016, the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill was finally passed by Rajya Sabha in the second attempt this year. The act has introduced amendments to Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and introduced a variety of provisions like new definitions of aggregator, community service, driver refresher training course, and enhanced penalty for driving without licence from a fine of up to Rs 500 to Rs 5,000 and for speeding from fine up to Rs 400 to fine of Rs 1,000.
All states and union territories have been asked to implement the 63 provisions with effect from September 1, but only nine states and union territories have notified the amended act.
First Published: Sept 11, 2019 2:52 PM IST
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