Central Motor Vehicles (Sixth Amendment) Rules, 2021 comes into force

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has notified Central Motor Vehicles (Sixth Amendment) Rules, 2021, effective from April 1, 2021. The Rules amend the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.

Key changes by the amendment are discussed in brief:

• Rule 8A substituted: ―8A. Minimum training required for driving E-rickshaw or E-cart– Every applicant for obtaining a license to drive E-rickshaw or E-cart shall undergo training for a period of at least ten days and shall obtain a certificate of training from any institution authorised by the State Government.
• Rule 11 substituted: ―11. Conditions to be satisfied for learner’s license –

1. 1. Within seven days of submitting an application under rule 10, every applicant for a learner’s licence shall complete a tutorial on safe driving, electronically on a Portal, either accessed by the applicant himself or with the help of a Facilitation Centre.
   2. The tutorial on safe driving shall contain information on the following matters, namely: – (a) the traffic signs, traffic signals and the rules of the road regulations made under section118 of the Act; (b) the duties of a driver when his vehicle is involved in an accident resulting in the death or bodily injury to a person or damage to property of a third party; (c) the precautions to be taken while passing an unmanned railway crossing; (d) the documents he should carry with him while driving a motor vehicle.
   3. After undertaking the tutorial on safe driving, every applicant shall undertake a test within seven days of submitting an application under rule 10.
   4. Applicant shall be deemed to have successfully passed the test, if the applicant correctly answers at least 60 per cent. of the questions put to him.

• Rule 13 substituted: ―13. Form of learner‘s licence. – Every learner’s licence shall be issued electronically by the licensing authority or after verifying the identity of the applicant through e-signature.
• Rule 17A inserted: ―17A. Permanently surrendering a class or classes of vehicles from the driving licence- Any person holding a driving license to drive one or more classes of motor vehicles, whether effective or expired, may apply, to any licensing authority in the State for permanently surrendering a class or classes of vehicles from the driving license, in Form 8 along with the driving licence held by the applicant and appropriate fee as specified in rule 32. Within seven days from the receipt of the application, the licensing authority shall delete the class or classes of motor vehicle from the applicant‘s driving license, for which the application has been made.
• Rule 18A inserted: ―18A. Issuance of duplicate driving licence – The licensing authority receiving an application for issuance of a duplicate driving licence which has been lost, torn or mutilated shall issue the duplicate driving licence in cases where the driving license details are available on the Portal. If the driving license details are not available on the Portal, the licensing authority shall issue the driving license on confirmation from the original licensing authority, electronically through the Portal.
• Rule 21A inserted: ―21A. Placing names in public domain. In cases of revocation of a driving licence, the licensing authority may display the particulars of the holder of such licence on the Portal, in a separate section titled Revocation of Driving License he following particulars about the holder of the revoked driving license shall be displayed on the Portal for six months: (i) The name; (ii) the driving licence number which has been revoked.
• Rule 23 substituted: ―23. National Register of Driving Licenses -The Central Government maintain a Portal for National Register of Driving Licenses containing all particulars pertaining to licenses issued and renewed in each State in Form10A.

23A. Access and Updation of the National Register of Driving Licenses by Licensing Authorities-The Portal for National Register of Driving Licenses shall be used by Licensing Authorities or such authorised officers designated by the State Government in each State to access, update and create electronic records available on the Portal for National Register of Driving Licenses.

23B. Duty of licensing authorities to Update National Register of Driving Licenses.

23C. Access to National Register of Driving Licenses. -Electronic records preserved and retained in the Portal for National Register of Driving Licenses may be accessed by such agencies or organisations as the Central Government may deem fit.

• Rule 60 substituted―60. Endorsement of hire-purchase agreements, etc.- An application for making an entry of hire-purchase, lease or hypothecation agreement in the certificate of registration of a motor vehicle duly signed by the registered owner of the vehicle and the financier and shall be accompanied by the certificate of registration and the appropriate fee as specified in rule 81.
• Rule 114 substituted ―114. Exhaust gases and exhaust pipes. – Every motor vehicle shall be so constructed or equipped that the exhaust gases from the engine are discharged neither downward nor to the left side of the vehicle and shall be so fitted as to allow the gases to escape to the right side or rear of the vehicle. No exhaust pipe of a motor vehicle including construction equipment vehicle and combine harvester shall be located within a distance of 35 mm from the fuel line connecting to the fuel tank and engine. The exhaust pipe of every public service vehicle shall be so fitted or shielded that no inflammable material is thrown upon it from any other part of the vehicle and that it is not likely to cause a fire through proximity to any inflammable material on the vehicle.

*Tanvi Singh, Editorial Assistant has put this story together.