The Supreme Court directed 23 states and seven union territories to submit compliance reports on the Motor Vehicles Act for electronic monitoring and road safety. Six states have complied. The court emphasized the use of advanced technologies to enhance traffic law enforcement, ensuring proper implementation to improve road safety. Future reviews are scheduled for March 2025.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (Jan 20th) directed 23 states and seven union territories to file compliance reports on implementing key provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and rules related to electronic monitoring and road safety. The directive aims to accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies for traffic law enforcement and public safety.
A bench comprising Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan noted that six states and one union territory — West Bengal, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Delhi — had already submitted their compliance reports. The remaining states and UTs have now been instructed to file their reports, which will be reviewed by the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety.
The court referred to its earlier order from September 2, 2024, which emphasized the implementation of Section 136A of the Motor Vehicles Act and Rule 167A of the Motor Vehicles Rules. These provisions focus on electronic monitoring to improve traffic management and law enforcement.
Section 136A, introduced in 2021, mandates the use of advanced technologies such as:
- Speed cameras
- CCTV cameras
- Speed guns
- Body-worn cameras
- Automatic number plate recognition systems
The provision targets high-risk corridors on national and state highways and major urban roads in cities with populations exceeding one million.
The bench observed,
“Section 136A of the Motor Vehicles Act is an innovative provision with the potential to transform road safety enforcement by leveraging technology. Proper implementation will ensure road discipline and allow for the efficient prosecution of violators.”
It further directed the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to circulate the order among all states and UTs for immediate compliance.
Under Rule 167A:
- States must install electronic enforcement devices in high-risk corridors, critical junctions, and urban areas with over a million residents.
- Enforcement devices must notify offenders during ongoing recording and issue electronic challans with photographic evidence, date, time, and location stamps.
- The devices should not be misused for non-traffic surveillance.
The court clarified that offenders must be notified of violations, ensuring transparency and fairness in enforcement.
The Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of these measures. Senior advocate Gaurav Agrawal, serving as amicus curiae, highlighted the progress made by six states. The bench directed the committee to analyze their reports and assist the Centre in framing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for nationwide implementation.
The bench announced it would take up the matter again on March 25, 2025, giving time for all states and UTs to comply. This order forms part of a long-standing PIL on road safety, initially filed in 2012, to address traffic-related fatalities and improve safety standards.
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