Can use phone to navigate while driving: govt

The passing of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 last year required notifying these amendments to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, which was done on September 25. One of the provisions pertain to monitoring the record of drivers electronically.

The amendments make way for use of various IT-enabled tools to better enforce traffic rules and are remove “harassment of drivers”.

Details of driving licences disqualified or revoked by the licensing authority will be recorded chronologically in the portal and they will be reflected on a regular basis on the portal has been provided for.

Provisions have been made for the procedure for production and obtaining certificates in physical as well as electronic form, the validity, issuance of such documents and further the date and time stamping of inspection and identity of the Officer to be recorded. “It has been provided that if the details of the documents are found validated through the electronic means by the enforcement officer then physical forms of such documents shall not be demanded for inspection, including in cases where there is an offence made out necessitating seizure of any such documents,” the release says.

Authorities inspecting documents will also have to put the date and time stamp of inspection and identity of the police officer in uniform or any other officer authorized by the state government, and it will be recorded in the portal for this purpose. “This would help in unnecessary re-checking or inspection of vehicles and further would remove harassment to the drivers,” it said.