Now CM expresses worry over new Central Motor Vehicle Act
| Date :03-Sep-2019 |
Staff Reporter :
A day after two ministers, including Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput and Law Minister P C Sharma, voicing concern over new Central Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act 2019 owing to heavy penalty provisions on traffic norm violations, now Chief Minister Kamal Nath has also raised fingers against the new Central Motor Vehicle Amendment Act. In his tweet on Monday, Chief Minister Kamal Nath said “We will do entire study of Central Motor Vehicle Act 2019. Public interest is our top priority. Directives have been given to officers to do study on neighbour states and prepare a proposal. We have the prerogative of decision in settlement amount.
On need, we will take the decision in public interest,”. Already, Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput has said that penalties are too heavy in the provisions. He had stated untill the solution of the issue, old penalty rates would be continuing in State. Notably, so far, State Government has not notified the new Central Motor Vehicle Act. Under the new Act, penalty for unauthorised use of vehicle without license has been increased from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000. The fine for driving without license has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 5,000. Penalty for drivers in cases of physical unfit has been increased from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000 on first count and Rs 2,000 on second count. Individuals driving vehicles without insurance will be fined either Rs 1,000 and or punishment up to 3 months or Rs 2,000 and/or imprisonment of upto 3 months for first offence.
A senior traffic police officer on condition of anonymity told ‘The Hitavada’ that though the penalties are heavy in new Central Motor Vehicle Act but they will streamline the traffic arrangement as people will fear in violating the traffic rules. He said that when he was posted in United Nations (UN) then he came to know that traffic violation in foreign countries attracts heavy penalty. In case of accidents, accused coughs out thousands of dollars in the form of penalty and vice versa. This is the reason that in foreign countries, accident percentage is very low. Meanwhile, a senior IAS officer, on condition of anonymity, said that compounding fees is prerogative of the State Government.