Supreme Court Mandates Use of Electronic Monitoring for Road Safety

The Supreme Court has directed all state governments and Union territories to implement Section 136A of the Motor Vehicles Act, which allows electronic monitoring of speeding vehicles. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih specifically instructed states to report on compliance by December 6. The initiative aims to ensure road safety and enforce the Motor Vehicles Act rigorously.

The Supreme Court has put forward a directive to state governments and Union territories for the immediate implementation of Section 136A of the Motor Vehicles Act, aimed at electronically monitoring speeding vehicles and ensuring road discipline.

Justices Abhay S Oka and Augustine George Masih instructed states, including Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Kerala, to update the court on measures taken to comply with Section 136A read with Rule 167A of the Act by December 6. After the adoption of electronic enforcement devices, fines will be based on footage captured by these devices.

The directive is part of broader efforts to enhance road safety, with Rule 167A specifying provisions for placing electronic enforcement devices at high-risk zones and critical junctions in major cities. The court will review the reports on December 11 and issue further directions if necessary, emphasizing the importance of stringent implementation for public safety.

(With inputs from agencies.)