Latest news with #MotorVehiclesAct
Time of India
5 hours ago
- Time of India
Drunken driving cases: Air blank test on breathalyser mandatory, rules Kerala high court
Kochi: Kerala high court has held that it is mandatory to conduct an air blank test on a breathalyser and ensure that the calibration is at 'zero' before taking breath samples in cases. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The court observed that conducting an air blank test and confirming a reading of '0.000' ensures that the device is not influenced by any residual alcohol from previous tests. Justice V G Arun, who issued the ruling, also directed the state police chief to issue necessary instructions to officers to strictly follow this procedure, noting that many policemen are unaware of the requirement. The bench was considering a petition filed by a Thiruvananthapuram native seeking to quash a case registered against him for rash and negligent driving under the influence of alcohol. The police had intercepted the petitioner on Medical College-Kumarapuram Road at 8.30pm on Dec 30, 2024, and booked him under section 281 (rash driving) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with sections 181 (driving under the influence of alcohol) and 181 (driving without a valid licence) of the . According to prosecution, the breathalyser test showed an alcohol level of 41 mg/100 ml, exceeding the permissible limit of 30 mg/100 ml. However, the reading of the air blank test was 412 mg/100 ml. HC noted that an air blank test is essential to check for residual alcohol before taking a person's breath sample. The primary purpose of the test is to ensure that the breathalyser is functioning properly and is not contaminated by previous tests. In this case, since the air blank test result was not '0.000', the court held that there was no acceptable evidence regarding the petitioner's blood alcohol level, and therefore, section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act (drunken driving) would not be attracted. HC also noted that since the petitioner had a valid licence, section 181 of the Motor Vehicles Act was not applicable. However, the court rejected the challenge to the charge under section 281 of the BNS for rash driving, stating that whether the petitioner rode the scooter in a manner endangering human life is a matter to be decided based on evidence at trial.
Deccan Herald
17 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Special drive against traffic violations: 21 vehicles seized, fines collected in Karnataka
Superintendent of Police Hariram Shankar said during the drive, police seized 21 vehicles — including 18 cars and 3 two-wheelers. Motorists were found driving under the influence of alcohol. Cases have been registered against them under various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Indore cops get cracking against criminals in night-long combing op
Indore: Indore police conducted a surprise combing operation across the city on the intervening night of July 19 and 20. During the operation, police teams checked nearly 1,338 known offenders across city limits, initiating legal action against 568 individuals found engaged in illegal or suspicious activities. The crackdown also resulted in execution of over 280 warrants, including 85 permanent, 91 arrest, 104 bail warrants, and 124 summons that were pending for a long time. The teams also registered 185 cases under Motor Vehicles Act against 194 people found driving under the influence of alcohol. Officials said the action will continue to curb the life-threatening habit of driving under the influence and deter such dangerous behaviour on city roads. Legal action against those consuming liquor in public was also taken. Eight cases were registered, while 86 habitual offenders were booked under various sections of the BNS Act for preventive measures. Over 770 individuals with criminal backgrounds were checked during the operation, including 284 goons, 76 burglars, 33 robbers, 124 individuals with a record of knife assaults, 10 drug peddlers, 66 history-sheeters, 136 persons under police surveillance, and 41 facing district exile or action under NSA. All were warned against engaging in any future criminal activity. Offenders involved in crimes against women and incidents of arson and vandalism were also identified and warned. Several absconding criminals were apprehended during the operation, and legal proceedings are underway against them. The teams also collected personal dossiers from offenders, issuing strict warnings against future violations.
News18
a day ago
- News18
Rapido Directors Booked For Allegedly Providing Illegal Bike Taxi Services In Mumbai
Last Updated: The Mumbai Police have filed second FIR against Rapido for allegedly providing illegal bike taxi services. The complaint was lodged by RTO inspector Harshal Sose. The Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against directors of ride hailing app Rapido for allegedly operating illegal bike taxi services in the city. This is the second FIR registered against the bike taxi aggregator. Earlier in June, a case against Rapido was registered at Azad Maidan Police Station on similar lines. The latest case was registered after six regional transport office (RTO) officers in the city booked bike taxis on Rapido recently, after learning that the company was offering the service illegally. The case against Rapido directors has been registered under sections 223 (disobedience of lawful orders issued by public servants) and 318 (cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and relevant sections of the Motor Vehicles Act. It is learnt that the FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by Harshal Sose, an inspector at the Mumbai West RTO in Andheri. Earlier, Maharashtra transport commissioner Vivek Bhimanwar had directed RTOs to crack down on bike taxis across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as companies such as Rapido, Ola and Uber were ferrying passengers without obtaining mandatory permits. These guidelines were recommended by a state-appointed committee to curb the unsafe practice of pooling non-transport vehicles for commercial purposes. However, platforms like Rapido and Uber have allegedly continued to operate bike taxis without permits. According to officials, Rapido was served a notice on April 29 to immediately cease illegal operations. But the company allegedly did not comply. Earlier this month, acting on an order from the transport commissioner, senior RTO officials instructed their staff to book rides using bike taxis and verify compliance. On July 16, six officers from the Andheri RTO did just that and found that Rapido bike taxis were still operating in violation of the rules. Following this, a case was registered against Rapido's directors at Amboli police station. view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 13:18 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
Break traffic rules with kids onboard? Drivers face double fines and licence risk under new govt proposal
New points system to track driver behaviour Live Events Driving test may be required for licence renewal Experts raise concerns about enforcement (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Ministry of Road Transport has proposed a significant revision to the Motor Vehicles Act: drivers flouting traffic rules while carrying children could soon face double the usual fines. The idea is to tighten safety around young passengers and to reinforce accountability, particularly among parents, guardians, and school transport to officials, the current pattern of violations involving school buses and family cars has prompted the ministry to act. These rules would apply not only to private individuals but also to vehicles owned or hired by schools. The intent, sources say, is to make both the driver and vehicle owner equally proposal is part of a larger draft of amendments now being circulated among various ministries for their input.A merit and demerit points system is also on the table. Under this plan, drivers who follow rules could earn positive points, while violators would rack up negative someone crosses a threshold of demerit points, they could lose their licence, either temporarily or permanently. Insurance premiums may also be tied to this points score. Good drivers could be rewarded with lower premiums, while repeat offenders may end up paying say this approach could help identify reckless behaviour early and create a record that reflects actual conduct on the road, not just isolated proposal that's gaining ground is the idea of mandatory driving tests for anyone applying to renew their licence — but only if they've broken traffic rules before their renewal would serve as an added checkpoint to filter out unsafe drivers, giving authorities the chance to reassess driving skills before extending legal permission to stay on the everyone is convinced the changes will deliver meaningful results. As reported by TOI, some road safety experts argue that without proper infrastructure and impartial enforcement, these amendments may just remain good on paper.'Even now traffic cops catch and penalise drivers only for half a dozen offences such as speeding, drunk driving, jumping red signal, using phone and not wearing seatbelt or helmet, while the MV law covers over 100 offences,' an expert told Times of also flagged practical issues with enforcing the rules. 'How will cameras installed identify if a juvenile is sitting in the rear seat of a car and will police personnel stop vehicles and check the age of people sitting inside? While framing laws and policies we don't think of India but Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and big cities,' the expert argument highlights the gap between policy creation and on-ground realities, especially in smaller towns and rural areas where enforcement capacity is ministry's proposals reflect a broader effort to bring discipline and consistency to Indian roads, where rule violations often go unchecked. But as always, the effectiveness of these reforms will depend not just on what's written into law, but on how it's rolled out — and whether authorities can ensure fair and consistent application across the amendments are currently in the consultation phase. Once ministries submit their feedback, the final version is expected to move forward for legislative approval.
