Kerala will seek clarification from the Centre on the reduction of the penalties for violations of road rules spelled out under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 that came into effect on September 1.
A high-level meeting chaired by Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran at the Secretariat here on Monday discussed the steps taken by other States in the country and decided to approach Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari seeking clarification on whether the State had the power to reduce the penalties.
The Transport Minister will soon write to Mr. Gadkari in this regard. Although Mr. Gadkari offered a solution by announcing that the States can choose the quantum of fines, official sources said there was no clarity on the issue.
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Law dept. stance
At the meeting, the officials pointed out to the Transport Minister that the reduction in penalties announced in States such as Gujarat and Karnataka had not materialised yet. The Law Department was also against the reduction of the penalties. It sought a careful approach to the issue as it was a Central Act.
The Transport Minister will also write to all MPs from the State seeking their intervention in the issue. The Law Department has been asked to prepare the minimum fines that can be imposed. Till the Union Ministry makes its stance clear on the issue, law enforcers will not to be stern on violators in the State.
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Mr. Saseendran said the law enforcers would continue with awareness programme for motorists in the interim period. The meeting decided to brief Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and to request him to hold a meeting if the issue is not resolved soon since the revenue of the Motor Vehicles Department would be reduced drastically.
Principal Secretary, Transport, K.R. Jyothilal; Law Secretary Aravinta Babu P. K.; State Transport Commissioner R. Sreelekha; Joint Transport Commissioner Rajeev Puthalath; and Inspector General of Police, South Zone, Balramkumar Upadhaya attended.