The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 has effected incremental changes in the provisions relating to issuance and renewal of different kind of Driving licenses, as under—
1- Learner’s License: As per amended provisions, an eligible person can apply to any licensing Authority within his state. Further, the application for issuance and fee as well as other requisite documents can be submitted electronically. Similarly, the provision for issuance of the Learner’s license in electronic mode has been incorporated.
2- Driving License: As in the case of Learner’s license, the application for a regular license can also be submitted before any of the MLO in his state. The condition of minimum qualification for obtaining the D/L to drive a Transport vehicle has also been removed.
Further, a new provision has been inserted thereby making it compulsory for a driver (who does not pass the driving test even after three attempts) to complete a prescribed remedial course from any school or establishment recognized under Section -12 of this Act. This is in addition to existing provision which disqualifies him to re-appear for such test before the expiry of six weeks from the date of last (Third) test.
3– Additions to licenses: In line of the above, this amendment authorises a person to apply before any licensing authority in the state for any addition of class or description of motor vehicles in his D/L. However, the concerned licensing authority, before affecting such additions, may verify his identity in the manner as prescribed by the central Govt.
4- Driving Schools: This amendment has also modified the provisions relating to accreditation of driving training schools or establishment. Now it shall be done by a body notified by the central Govt. in this regard and any person who has successfully completed a training module at such school or establishment covering a particular type of motor vehicle, in terms of the curriculum prescribed by Central Govt., shall be eligible to obtain a driving license for such type of motor vehicle.
5- Period of the Validity of Licenses: The 2019 amendment has also effected radical changes in the period of Currency of all kind of Driving licenses (Section 14) as under-
i) The period of validity of Driving License for Transport vehicle has been increased from [Present] 3 years to 5 years
ii) The period of validity of driving license to drive a transport vehicle carrying hazardous goods has been increase from [present] 1year to 3 years.
iii) The period of validity of any other license (which is presently 20 years or up to 50 years of age whichever is earlier and renewal for every 5 years after attaining the age of 50 years of age) has now been divided into 3 categories, as follows—-
a. Where the age of the D/L holder is below 30 year ——— Valid till the age of 40 years
b. Where the age is 30 yrs and above but below 50 yr ——— Valid for 10 years
c. Where the age is 50 yrs and above but below 55 yrs ——— Valid up to 60 years
d. Where the age is 55 years and above ——— Valid for 5 years
6-Renewal of Driving Licenses: Earlier, every driving license, notwithstanding its expiry, continued to be effective for a period of thirty days from the date of such expiry. But after this amendment, it will not be valid after expiry as the grace period of 30 days for renewal D/L stands omitted. Now, the D/L shall be renewed from the date of its renewal where the application for renewal is submitted either 1 year prior or within 1 year after the date of its expiry. Further, from now on, if the application is made one year after the driving license has ceased to be effective, the renewal thereof shall be refused, unless the applicant undergoes and passes the prescribed test of competence to drive, to the satisfaction of the Authority.
8- The provisions relating to Power of licensing authority to disqualify from holding a driving license or revoke such license, have been made more stringent.
9- The MV (Amendment) Act 2019 has also introduced a new provision for National Register of Driving Licenses. – As per this provision, the Central Government shall maintain a National Register of Driving Licenses and Registers of Driving Licenses of all states shall be subsumed under the National Register of Driving Licenses within the time stipulated by the Central Government. This has been done to facilitate the issuance of driving license with unique D/L number. It has also to be noted that no driving license shall be valid unless it has been issued with a unique driving license number under the National Register of Driving Licenses.
The above provisions brought in by Motor vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, thus, makes it abundantly clear that the prevailing irregularities and malpractices in issuance/renewal/ endorsement of driving licenses shall be arrested to a considerable extent. Further, it will not only make the Govt. machinery accountable but simultaneously imbibe and inculcate the discipline amongst the drivers which in-turn increase their efficiency.