Lok Sabha passes Motor Vehicles Act

A Bill to unleash radical reforms in the transport sector by ensuring 100 per cent e-governance, checking bogus driving licences and vehicle thefts, slapping heavy penalty on traffic violators and protecting the Good Samaritan was approved by the Lok Sabha on Monday.

All efforts would be made to eliminate corruption in the sector, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said, while replying to a discussion on the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016, claiming that “no bogus driving licences would be made and there would be no theft of the vehicles, once there is e-governance.” 

The Bill was passed by a voice vote after several Opposition amendments were rejected, including one moved by a Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI (M), member on enhancing the compensation in case of accidents, was defeated by 37 votes in favour and 221 against.

There should be uniformity in the rules concerning issuance of driving licences, the minister said, adding through “e-governance, there would be provision of electronic registration.” 

The Bill seeks to “save lives” by ushering in radical reforms in the motor vehicles law to slap heavy penalty on traffic violators, protecting Good Samaritans and making vehicle-makers responsible for design defects to cut road accidents.

The basic aim of the Bill is “to save human lives”, as a whopping 50,000 accidents take place every year, claiming around 150,000 lives across the country.

“Once the Bharatiya Janata Party completes five years, we would be able to save 50 per cent lives lost due to road accidents. We are working towards it,” Gadkari said.

The minister said once the changes are incorporated in the law, it would be impossible for anyone, including politicians, to obtain driving licence without tests. “Even as a minister, I would not be able to obtain driving licence sitting at home,” Gadkari stressed.