Bhubaneswar: Vehicles caught over-speeding by interceptors in Bhubaneswar may soon be exempt from an automatic presumptive penalty for not carrying a driving licence (DL).
This followed complaints about the fairness of the 2021state transport authority (STA) directive, according to which drivers caught speeding are presumed to lack a valid DL since verification cannot occur on the spot, resulting in a challan that includes penalty for both over-speeding and driving without a valid licence.
The presumptive DL penalty, however, is subsequently waived if the driver provides proof of a valid DL to the regional transport offices (RTOs), either in person or via email within 15 days.
The government has directed the STA to consider removing it and simplifying the penalty process to avoid unjust fines for drivers with valid licence. A note from the chief secretary’s office to the STA termed the practice inconsistent with legal principles and natural justice, recommending that e-challans initially cover only speeding violations. If a driver fails to show a valid DL when paying the speeding fine, a separate challan may be issued, it added.
“The department is requested to submit an action taken report to this office promptly for the chief secretary’s perusal,” the TOI reported, quoting the note.
Over-speeding and careless driving were found to be the two major causes of road accidents, with the former responsible for 61% of the state’s 5,737 road accident fatalities in 2023, according to a report of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).