Getting suspended DL back won’t be easy now

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 14

Watch out before you violate traffic rules! For now, it will not be easy for you to get the suspended driving licence (DL) back as the UT Administration has decided to implement the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Besides enhancing the penalty for various violations, the amended Act also has provisions which make it difficult for violators to get their suspended driving licence back.

To deter people from violating traffic rules, the Act provides for stricter provisions concerning offences such as juvenile driving, drunken driving, driving without licence, dangerous driving, speeding and overloading among others. Under the new law, it has been made mandatory for violators to undergo a driving refresher training course to get the suspended licence back.

A provision in the Act states that the driving licence shall be returned to the violator at the end of the period of disqualification only if he of she successfully completes the driver refresher training course.

At present, there is no such condition and violators get the driving licence back after the disqualification period is over by just appearing for a personal hearing before the issuing authority.

The  Act   also gives power to the  licensing  authority  to disqualify the person from holding or obtaining  any  licence  to drive all or any  class  of vehicle  specified  in the  licence. The Act also has provision  for putting names of violators  in public domain.

The Act also has provision for a driving licence national register. Information regarding driving  licences will have to  be  shared  on the national register by the issuing authority. No driving licence shall be   issued   or renewed  under the   Act unless  it has   been  issued  a unique  driving  licence number under the  national  register. 

Sources said the  Transport Department would ensure the implementation of the  Act by making the necessary  changes  in the  Chandigarh Motor Vehicle Rules. 

Driving refresher training  course   

To deter people from violating traffic rules, the Act provides for stricter provisions concerning offences such as juvenile driving, drunken driving, driving without licence, dangerous driving, speeding and overloading among others. Under the new law, it has been made mandatory for violators to undergo a driving refresher training course to get the suspended licence back.