New Delhi: The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019 which was passed by a voice vote in Lok Sabha is aimed at eliminating corruption, improving road safety and infusing new technology to regulate traffic movement across the country. The Opposition has, however, accused the Centre of seizing state's powers with certain provisions of the draft law


The Bill proposes stricter penalties for those disobeying traffic rules.

Below we look at the proposed changes:

General (177)

Old Penalty – Rs 100

New Penalty (Minimum) Rs 500

Rules of road regulation violation (new 177 A)

Old penalty – Rs 100

New penalty – Rs 500

Travelling without a ticket (178)

Old Penalty – Rs 200

New penalty – Rs 500

Unauthorized use of vehicles without licence (180)

Old Penalty – Rs 1,000

New penalty – Rs 5,000

Driving without licence (181)

Old Penalty – Rs 500

New penalty – Rs 5000

Driving without qualification (182)

Old penalty -  Rs 500

New penalty – Rs 10,000

Oversized vehicles (182B)

New penalty – Rs 5000

Over speeding (183)      

Old penalty - Rs 400

New penalty - Rs 1000 for LMV, Rs 2000 for Medium Passenger Vehicle

Dangerous driving penalty (184)              

Old penalty - Rs. 1,000

New penalty – Up to Rs 5000

Drunken driving (185)   

Old penalty - Rs 2000

New penalty – Rs 10,000

Speeding/ Racing (189)

Old penalty - Rs 500

New penalty – Rs 5,000

Vehicle without permit (192A) 

Old penalty - Up to Rs 5000

New penalty - Up to Rs 10,000

Riding without helmet (194 D)

Old penalty - Rs 100

New penalty - Rs 1000 Disqualification for 3 months for licence

Aggregators (violations of licensing conditions) (193)   

New      Rs 25,000 to Rs 1, 00,000

Overloading (194)          

Old penalty - Rs 2,000, and Rs 1,000 per extra tonne

New penalty - Rs 20,000, and Rs 2,000 per extra tonne

Overloading of Passengers (194A)          

New penalty – Rs 1000 per extra passenger

Seat Belt (194 B)              

Old penalty - Rs 100

New penalty - Rs 1,000

Overloading of two-wheelers (194 C)   

Old penalty - Rs 100

New penalty - Rs 2,000, will attract disqualification of licence for 3 months

Not providing way for emergency vehicles (194E)           

New      penalty - Rs 10,000

Driving without insurance (196)            

Old penalty - Rs 1,000

New penalty - Rs 2,000

Offences by Juveniles (199)        New      Guardian/ Owner shall be considered guilty. Rs 25,000 with 3 years imprisonment. Juvenile will be tried under JJ Act. Registration of Motor Vehicle will be cancelled.

Power of officers to impound documents (206)               

Suspension of driving licence under relevant sections 183, 184, 185, 189, 190, 194C, 194D, 194E,

Offences committed by enforcing authorities (210B)    

Double penalty under the relevant section