IN A significant verdict to check violation of traffic rules, the Lucknow Bench of the High Court has issued certain guidelines for compliance by the State Government until the state legislature or Parliament legislates a law providing severe punishment to the offenders.
The judgment was given by a division bench of the HC comprising Justices DP Singh and JM Paliwal on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by one Sudarsha Awasthi against unauthorised use of red/blue beacon lights, hooters, and opaque films pasted on the window screen etc in vehicles plying in the state.
The guidelines had to be issued to following statement given by the principal secretary (Home) in the court that on account of absence of any provisions in the Motor Vehicle Act and Rules, the state was not in a position to seize the vehicles running in violation of the provisions of the MV Act and the Rules framed there under.
These guidelines among others include a direction to the auto-dealers/shopkeepers not to paste film on the window screens or sell red/blue lights or hooters etc in the absence of a letter of request issued by the competent authority.
The state government has been directed to launch a special drive for 10 days or a week in every month throughout the state to check violators. The special drive is to continue for four months or more till the vehicles in state are found in order. The state was further directed to provide required instrument and to provide back up of PAC force in those districts where kidnapping for ransom or other organised crime was very high.
{{/usCountry}}The state government has been directed to launch a special drive for 10 days or a week in every month throughout the state to check violators. The special drive is to continue for four months or more till the vehicles in state are found in order. The state was further directed to provide required instrument and to provide back up of PAC force in those districts where kidnapping for ransom or other organised crime was very high.
{{/usCountry}}The RTO and ARTOs were directed to check plying of vehicles violating traffic rules and seize the registration certificate and send the same to the competent authority for suspension. The state authorities were directed to stop all vehicles plying on road in violation of the provisions of the MV Act and rules, using unauthorised beacon lights, hooters, boards displaying office name or designation and opaque films on window screens etc.
It shall be treated as an offence under section 177 of the MV Act, the court said.
The state was further directed to issue appropriate circulars within three weeks in view of the above guidelines for compliance to all concerned and to publish an extract of the above guidelines and the relevant rules and notification relating to use of red/blue lights, hooters etc in prominent newspapers (English/Hindi) within a month.
The directions issued above shall come into effect from July 20 next, the court said, so that people may get a chance to put their vehicles in order to avoid any inconvenience.