Motor Vehicle Amendment Act changes procedure to get vehicle registration, licences

After the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019 was passed in both the Houses of Parliament, President Ram Nath Govind gave his accent to it on August 9. It aims to make Indian roads safer, reduce corruption and use technology to overhaul the country’s transportation system.

It also includes fivefold increase in fines for anyone caught driving drunk, new fines for blowing horn in prohibited areas and for not letting emergency vehicles like ambulances pass and holding parents or guardians responsible for juveniles at the wheel. The Act provides for stricter punishment for various traffic-related offences, and higher penalties with a hope that it will act as a deterrent against traffic violations in the country.

The Act, however, did not stop with amending provisions to hike penalties but it went on to change the way vehicles will be registered and issuance of driving licenses. 

A vehicle owner may choose to register vehicle anywhere in a state as against the existing rules which allow registration only the regional transport office of the area where the owner lives. To improve the registration process for new vehicles, registration at the end of the dealer is being enabled. Earlier, the registration would be done through the dealer by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) but the RTOs can inspect the vehicles at dealers end. 

Aiming to bring transparency in RTO offices, the new amendment provides for online Learners Licence with mandatory online identity verification driving test will be computerised to avoid fake driving licence. Driver’s licence test will be computerised and reduce human interface to curb corruption and menace of fake licences. At present, tests are manual, and it’s easier to get one without proper training. “The Act allows the users to avail vehicle registration and driving licences in any RTOs across the state. Moreover, the facilities can be availed at the recognised private institutions other than RTOs.  This will help the public avail services without facing much hardship. It will be similar to how the process of availing the passport eased after the private agencies were allowed,” said Senthil Arumugham of Satta Panchayat Iyakkam. 

Under the new amendment, commercial vehicle driving licenses will be valid upto five instead of three years. Application for renewal can be made one year prior to or after licence lapses. Driver Training Schools will be opened so that more efficient drivers may be available. 

To bring harmony to the registration and licensing process, it is proposed to create National Register for Driving Licence and National Register for Vehicle registration through “Vahan” and “Sarathi” platforms. This will facilitate uniformity of the process across the country. 

Meanwhile, DMK affiliated Labour Progressive Front Treasurer K Natarajan wondered how privatisation of the process of vehicle registration and issuance of licence would reduce road accidents. “In the preamble of the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill, it clearly states that the amendments aimed at improving road safety. But how will allowing the dealer to register the vehicles and the recognised private agencies to issue licence will reduce the accidents. In the name of improving road safety, the centre has corporatised the transportation sector through this amendment,” he said. 

Natarajan also questioned the contradiction over doing away with the education qualification to avail licence and then making to pass examination based on set curriculum for getting back licence cancelled following accident. “Now anyone without education qualification can avail the driving licence. But if people’s licences are cancelled after involving in a third accident, they should undergo an examination based on a set curriculum to get back the licence. How will an uneducated person clear such an examination?” he wondered.

M Bhoopathi, general secretary of Tamil Nadu Call Taxi Drivers Union said that the Act corporatised the transportation sector overall. “The transport vehicles would be able to get the fitness certificate after the inspection by the brake inspector at the RTOs. Now, in the amendment Act, the vehicles would be able to get the FC only if it was certified so by a recognised service centre or from the companies workshop. So, the vehicles cannot be serviced at the local mechanic shops but only at the authorised service centres,” he said.