Sections 157, 158, 159, 160, 161 and 162 of the Motor Vehicles Act

Section 157 Transfer of certificate of insurance

157. (1) Where a person, in whose favour the certificate of insurance has been issued in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter, transfers to another person the ownership of the motor vehicle in respect of which such insurance was taken together with the policy of insurance relating thereto, the certificate of insurance and the policy described in the certificate shall be deemed to have been transferred in favour of the person to whom the motor vehicle is transferred with effect from the date of its transfer.

Explanation.-For the removal of doubts, it is hereby clarified that such deemed transfer shall include transfer of rights and liabilities of the said certificate of insurance and policy of insurance.

(2) The transferee shall apply within fourteen days from the date of transfer in the prescribed form to the insurer for making necessary changes in regard to the fact of transfer in the certificate of insurance and the policy described in the certificate in his favour, and the insurer shall make the necessary changes in the certificate and the policy of insurance in regard to the transfer of insurance.

Section 158 Production of certain certificates, licence and permit in certain cases

158. (1) Any person driving a motor vehicle in any public place shall, on being so required by a police officer in uniform authorised in this behalf by the State Government, produce-

(a) the certificate of insurance;

(b) the certificate of registration;

(c) the pollution under control certificate;

(d) the driving licence;

(e) in the case of a transport vehicle, also the certificate of fitness referred to in section 56, and the permit; and

(f) any certificate or authorisation of exemption that has been granted under this Act,
relating to the use of the vehicle.

(2) Where, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle in a public place, an accident occurs involving death or bodily injury to another person, if the driver of the vehicle does not at that time produce the required certificate, driving licence and permit referred to in sub-section (1) to a police officer, he or the owner shall produce the said certificates, licence and permit at the police station at which the driver makes the report required by section 134.

(3) No person shall be liable to conviction for offences under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) by reason of the failure to produce the required certificate if, within seven days from the date on which its production was required under sub-section (1), or as the case may be, from the date of occurrence of the accident, he produces the certificate at such police station as may have been specified by him to the police officer who required its production or, as the case may be, to the police officer at the site of the accident or to the officer-in-charge of the police station at which he reported the accident:

Provided that except to such extent and with such modifications as may be prescribed, the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to the driver of a transport vehicle.

(4) The owner of a motor vehicle shall give such information as he may be required by or on behalf of a police officer empowered in this behalf by the State Government for the purpose of determining whether the vehicle was or was not being driven in contravention of section 146 and on any occasion when the driver was required under this section to produce the certificate of insurance.

(5) In this section, the expression "produce the certificate of insurance" means production for examination the relevant certificate of insurance or such other evidence as may be prescribed to prove that the vehicle was not being driven in contravention of section 146.

Section 159 Information to be given regarding accident

159. The police officer shall, during the investigation, prepare an accident information report to facilitate the settlement of claim in such form and manner, within three months and containing such particulars and submit the same to the Claims Tribunal and such other agency as may be prescribed.

Section 160 Duty to furnish particulars of vehicle involved in accident

160. A registering authority or the officer-in-charge of a police station shall, if so required by a person who alleges that he is entitled to claim compensation in respect of an accident arising out of the use of a motor vehicle, or if so required by an insurer against whom a claim has been made in respect of any motor vehicle, furnish to that person or to that insurer, as the case may be, on payment of the prescribed fee, any information at the disposal of the said authority or the said police officer relating to the identification marks and other particulars of the vehicle and the name and address of the person who was using the vehicle at the time of the accident or was injured by it and the property, if any, damaged in such form and within such time as the Central Government may prescribe.

Section 161 Special provisions as to compensation in case of hit and run motor accident

161. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force or any instrument having the force of law, the Central Government shall provide for paying in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the scheme made under sub-section (3), compensation in respect of the death of, or grievous hurt to, persons resulting from hit and run motor accidents.

(2) Subject to the provisions of this Act and the scheme made under sub-section (3), there shall be paid as compensation,-

(a) in respect of the death of any person resulting from a hit and run motor accident, a fixed sum of two lakh rupees or such higher amount as may be prescribed by the Central Government;

(b) in respect of grievous hurt to any person resulting from a hit and run motor accident, a fixed sum of fifty thousand rupees or such higher amount as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

(3) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make a scheme specifying the manner in which the scheme shall be administered by the Central Government or General Insurance Council, the form, manner and the time within which applications for compensation may be made, the officers or authorities to whom such applications may be made, the procedure to be followed by such officers or authorities for considering and passing orders on such applications, and all other matters connected with, or incidental to, the administration of the scheme and the payment of compensation under this section.

(4) A scheme made under sub-section (3) may provide that,-
(a) a payment of such sum as may be prescribed by the Central Government as interim relief to any claimant under such scheme;

(b) a contravention of any provision thereof shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to two years, or with fine which shall not be less than twenty-five thousand rupees but may extend to five lakh rupees or with both;

(c) the powers, functions or duties conferred or imposed on any officer or authority by such scheme may be delegated with the prior approval in writing of Central Government, by such officer or authority to any other officer or authority

Section 162 Scheme for golden hour

162. (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the General Insurance Companies (Nationalisation) Act, 1972 or any other law for the time being in force or any instrument having the force of law, the insurance companies for the time being carrying on general insurance business in India shall provide in accordance with the provisions of this Act and the schemes made under this Act for treatment of road accident victims, including during the golden hour.

(2) The Central Government shall make a scheme for the cashless treatment of victims of the accident during the golden hour and such scheme may contain provisions for creation of a fund for such treatment.