SC directs panel to call meeting to evolve framework for drawing guidelines for road safety

New Delhi, Jan 6 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday directed a committee headed by former apex court judge A M Sapre to convene a meeting within two weeks to evolve a framework for formulating state-specific guidelines on electronic monitoring and enforcement of road safety norms across states.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala agreed that urgent steps were needed to be taken to enforce Section 136A (electronic monitoring and enforcement of road safety) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

“The Motor Vehicle Act was amended in 2019 so as to incorporate provisions of section 136 A for electronic monitoring and enforcement of road safety on national highways, state highways, roads and urban cities. The issue now is about ensuring due enforcement of the provisions of section 136A by drawing out state specific guidelines which would have to be done in collaboration with state governments.

“Section 215 B of the MV Act has provided for the constitution of a national road safety board in an advisory capacity. Having due regard to the framework, it would be appropriate for Justice A M Sapre, chairperson of committee appointed by the court, government official and amicus to set out modalities. The meeting may be convened preferably in two weeks. The amicus can then report to the court on the consensus arrived at in the meeting,” the bench said.

The matter is now listed for hearing in the first week of February.

Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, appearing for the Centre, said the government has already framed Rules under Section 136 (2).

According to Section 136 (2),”The Central Government shall make rules for the electronic monitoring and enforcement of road safety including speed cameras, closed-circuit television cameras, speed guns, body wearable cameras and such other technology.”

The apex court had constituted the Sapre committee while hearing a PIL on the issue of road safety in the country.

According to a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways report published in 2021, altogether 4,12,432 road accidents were reported during the year in which 1,53,972 people lost their lives and 3,84,448 were injured.