The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019, to amend the provisions under the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988. Speaker Om Birla passed the Bill on the basis of a voice vote in the Lower House of Parliament. Cleared by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill 2019, will be introduced in the Rajya Sabha soon for its approval. Thereafter, the proposed amendments will become a law after the President’s consent.

The bill, which will replace the 30-year old law, aims to overhaul the country’s transportation laws by addressing crucial issues such as road safety, reducing deaths due to road accidents, imposing stiffer penalties on violation of rules, and weeding out corruption, thereby transforming India’s road transport system.

Those who do not give way to an ambulance or fire brigade may soon have to face a hefty fine of as much as 10,000 or/and imprisonment up to six months. Their driving license could be suspended in case they are caught speeding, racing, or driving under the influence of alcohol, among others. Road safety and reducing the number of accidents are key priorities of the government and imposing stiffer penalties can bring more discipline and force people to adhere to the traffic rules.

The same Bill had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha in the April of 2017. However, it could not get clearance from the Rajya Sabha and lapsed with the dissolution of the 16th Lok Sabha. The 2019 Bill had been tabled in the Lok Sabha by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Monday. The Bill aims to enforce stricter penalties for road traffic violations.

Motor Vehicle Amendment Bill 2019: Proposed Changes and Fines

    • For General Section (177),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 100
      • New Penalty – Rs 500 (minimum)
    • For Rules of road regulation violation (new 177A),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 100
      • New Penalty – Rs 500 (minimum)
    • For Travelling without a ticket (178),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 200
      • New Penalty – Rs 500 (minimum)
    • For Disobedience of orders of authorities (179),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 500
      • New Penalty – Rs 2,000 (minimum)
    • For Unauthorized use of vehicles without a license (180),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 1,000
      • New Penalty – Rs 5,000 (minimum)
    • For driving without a license (181),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 500
      • New Penalty – Rs 5,000 (minimum)
    • For Driving without qualification (182),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 500
      • New Penalty – Rs 10,000 (minimum)
    • For Oversized vehicles (182B),
      • Old Penalty – New Rule
      • New Penalty – Rs 5,000 (minimum)
    • For Over speeding (183),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 1,000
      • New Penalty – Rs 1,000 for LMV, Rs 2,000 for Medium Passenger Vehicle
    • For Dangerous driving penalty (184),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 1,000
      • New Penalty – Up to Rs 5,000 
    • For Drunken driving (185),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 2,000
      • New Penalty – Rs 10,000 (minimum)
    • For Speeding/ Racing (189),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 500
      • New Penalty – Rs 5,000 (minimum)
    • For Vehicle without a permit (192A), 
      • Old Penalty – Up to Rs 5,000
      • New Penalty – Up to Rs 10,000 
    • For Aggregators (violations of licensing conditions) (193),
      • Old Penalty – New Rule
      • New Penalty – From Rs 25,000 to Rs 1,00,oo0
    • For Overloading (194),
      • Old Penalty – Rs 2,000, and Rs 1,000 per extra tonne
      • New Penalty – Rs 20,000, and Rs 2,000 per extra tonne



  • For Overloading of Passengers (194A),
    • Old Penalty – NIL
    • New Penalty – Rs 1,000 per extra passenger
  • For Seat Belt (194 B),
    • Old Penalty – Rs 100
    • New Penalty – Rs 1,000 (minimum)
  • For Overloading of two-wheelers (194 C),
    • Old Penalty – Rs 100
    • New Penalty – Rs 2,000 and  Disqualification of license for 3 months
  • For Not providing a way for emergency vehicles (194E),
    • Old Penalty – New Rule
    • New Penalty – Rs 10,000 (minimum)
  • For Driving without insurance (196),
    • Old Penalty – Rs 1,000
    • New Penalty – Rs 2,000 (minimum)
  • For Offences by Juveniles (199),
    • Old Penalty – New Rule
    • New Penalty – Guardian/ Owner shall be deemed guilty. Rs 25,000 with 3 years imprisonment. Juvenile to be tried under the JJ Act. Registration of Motor Vehicle to be canceled.
  • For Power of officers to impound documents (206),
    • Old Penalty – NIL
    • New Penalty – Suspension of driving licence under sections 183, 184, 185, 189, 190, 194C, 194D, 194E
  • For Offences committed by enforcing authorities (210B),
    • Old Penalty – NIL
    • New Penalty – Twice the penalty under the relevant section