Relief for drivers: No jail for 1st-time pollution, road safety norms violations | India News
New Delhi: In a pushback for first-time offenders, the government has proposed to do away with jail terms of up to three months for driving a vehicle in violation of prescribed road safety and air and noise pollution norms.As part of 784 provisions, across 79 central laws, which will be amended through the Public Trust Bill, several related to criminalisation, the government has proposed that violating driving, road safety or air-pollution control rules – which currently carries a three-month jail term or a Rs 10 fine and 0,0,0,0 days of driving for holding a licence. A first offense shall be punishable with a fine of Rs 10,000 and disqualification with retention of DL for three months. However, subsequent offenses are punishable with six months in jail and a fine of up to Rs 10,000.In case of noise pollution-related violations, the bill proposes a warning for the first offence, while a fine of up to Rs 10,000 will be imposed for repeat offences.Similarly, failure to comply with an order or contravening provisions of the Electricity Act or Rules, which currently lands a person in jail for three months with a fine of Rs 1 lakh, is proposed to be converted from a fine of Rs 10,000 to Rs 10 lakh.Compounding, which is an alternative to one-time settlement, is sought to be mandated for first instance theft of electricity or tampering with meters or acts of the licensee and willfully harmful acts.Further, in a relief to homebuyers, the bill proposes to remove the existing provision of a maximum one-year jail term for an allottee who fails to comply with the order of the Real Estate Appellate Tribunal. The penalty for allottees is proposed to be increased to 10% of the property value.In another move to decriminalize unauthorized hawking in trains, the government has proposed to amend a section of the Railway Act to make the offense punishable with a one-year jail term and a fine of Rs 1,000-2,000 only up to Rs 2,000.
