Chennai: The Madras high court has directed the state government to issue appropriate orders empowering all police officers not below the rank of sub-inspector of police, for booking offences under the Motor Vehicle Act and collecting spot fines for not wearing helmets.
A division bench comprising Justices S. Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad gave the directive and posted to June 21, further hearing of the PIL filed by K.K.Rajendran, after additional advocate general P.H.Arvindh Pandian informed the bench that it requires at least two weeks as the machines for collecting spot fine have to come and the police officers have to be trained for the usage of the machines.
In his petition, Rajendran sought a direction to the authorities to implement the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act, which made it compulsory wearing of helmets by riders and pillion riders of two wheelers.
Recording the submissions of AAG relating to the steps taken by the police and the traffic department for violation of Motor Vehicle Act and Rules,
the bench in its order said in view of the increase of traffic by 150 percent, it is need of the hour that the government should exercise the power conferred under Sub-Section (1) of Section 200 of the Motor Vehicle Act and issue appropriate orders empowering all the police officers not below the rank of sub-inspectors including the traffic police to discharge their duties and responsibilities of Sub-Inspector of Police under section 177 and 200 of MV Act and in so far imposition and compounding of offences committed punishable for violation of MV Act and Rules and to review spot fines ceiling.
Earlier, AAG submitted that the police department has developed an app which can be downloaded by anybody and because of the same 51 complaints have been received so far from 645 users. A total amount of `605 crore was spent from the 2000 to 2019 by the government for the road safety purpose.
As per the guidelines issued by the Supreme court, the police department has registered 14, 06, 491 cases for not wearing helmets and 39,00,002 case for not wearing the seat belts in the year 2018. In all the districts and cities, one nodal officer (ADSP, headquarters) has been nominated for road safety to prevent accidents and monthly high level meeting was convened, Arvindh Pandian added.
