Sections 11, 12, 14, 15, 19 and 25A under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019

Amendment text: In section 11 of the principal Act, in sub-section (1), for the words "the licensing authority having jurisdiction in the area", the words "any licensing authority in the State" were substituted.

In sub-section (2), a proviso was inserted providing that the licensing authority may, before issuing the licence, verify the identity of the applicant in such manner as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

Sub-section (5): Notwithstanding other provisions, where a school or establishment is accredited by a body notified by the Central Government under a law in force, a person who successfully completes a training module covering a particular type of motor vehicle becomes eligible to obtain a driving licence for that type of vehicle, subject to the statutory framework.

Sub-section (6): The curriculum of the training module referred to in sub-section (5), and the remedial driver training course referred to in section 9(5), is to be prescribed by the Central Government, which may also make rules regulating such schools or establishments.

For the licence category in section 14(2)(a), "three years" was substituted by "five years", and the proviso was correspondingly amended.

For other licences, the amended age-based structure provides, subject to prescribed conditions: where the holder has not attained 30 years, validity until age 40; where the holder is 30 or above but below 50, validity for 10 years; where the holder is 50 or above but below 55, validity until age 60; and where the holder is 55 or above, validity for five years from issue or renewal.

In section 15(1), the former reference to "more than thirty days" was replaced so that the relevant renewal period extends to one year before expiry or within one year after expiry, in accordance with the amended provision.

In section 15(3) and section 15(4), references to thirty days were replaced by one year. The second proviso to section 15(4) was also amended so that the one-year period after a driving licence has ceased to be effective is material for the licensing authority's action under that provision.

Section 19(1A): Where a licence has been forwarded to the licensing authority under section 206(4), the authority, after giving the holder an opportunity of being heard and recording detailed reasons where required, may discharge the holder or disqualify the person. For a first offence, the statutory period is three months; for a second or subsequent offence, the provision contemplates revocation.

Sections 19(2A) and 19(2B): A licence holder whose licence has been suspended must undergo the prescribed driver refresher training course through a school or establishment licensed and regulated under section 12, or another notified agency. The nature, syllabus and duration are to be prescribed by the Central Government.

The amended section also links return of the driving licence after the disqualification period to successful completion of the driver refresher training course.

25A(1): The Central Government shall maintain a National Register of Driving Licences in the prescribed form and manner.

25A(2): State Registers of Driving Licences are to be subsumed under the National Register by a date notified by the Central Government.

25A(3): A driving licence issued or renewed under the Act is not valid unless it has been issued a unique driving licence number under the National Register.

25A(4) and (5): State Governments and licensing authorities must transmit the prescribed information to the National Register, while State Governments are entitled to access the National Register and update their records in the prescribed manner.