NT NETWORK
PANAJI
The Goa police will now seize driving licences of motorists found over-speeding, driving under the influence of drink, overloading (goods carriages), carrying people in goods carriages and using mobile phone while driving.
The seized driving licence will be then forwarded to the transport department for its suspension for a period of not less than three months.
The move comes in the wake of directives issued last year by the Supreme Court committee on road safety.
“It will definitely act as a deterrent to traffic violations,” said Director General of Police Dr Muktesh Chander adding, “The process is on and very shortly we will begun seizing the licences of such traffic violators. Once seized, the licences will be forwarded to transport department for suspension.”
The SC panel on road safety last year had issued directions to all states and UTs and their concerned departments about suspension of the driving licence for a period of not less than three months under Section 19 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, read with rule 21 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules 1989 for driving at a speed exceeding the specified limit which in the committee’s view would also include red light jumping.
Carrying overload in goods carriages, ferrying people in goods carriages, driving vehicles under the influence of drink and drugs and using mobile phone while driving are the other offences. During discussions the committee had with the central ministries and the Delhi traffic police on November 6, 2015, it was brought to the notice of the committee that the traffic police have been implementing the directions issued by the committee on August 18, 2015 vigorously and is forwarding the cases to the transport department for suspension of driving licence for the abovementioned traffic violations.
However, any action taken by the transport department could not be effective as the driving licence would remain with the violator who can use it with impunity and also evade the process of law.
“This has been considered by the committee in detail. The committee directs that in case of above traffic violations, the traffic police should take possession of the driving licence of the violator and forward it to the transport department of the concerned state/UT who would suspend the licence for a period of not less than three months under Section 19 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, read with rule 21 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1988. The transport department would return the driving licence to the violator after the expiry of the said period,” reads the communiqué which was sent to the state government by the SC committee on road safety.
