According to 2016 amendment of Indian Motor Vehicle Act 1988, in certain situations a Driver's License may be suspended. So always follow the rules and drive carefully, if you don't want to be left without Driving License even temporarily.
Situations for Driving License Suspension
Your Driving License is liable for suspension by a minimum of 3 months’ duration; under following circumstances.
- Driving beyond the designated Speed Limit for a Vehicle Category or violation of Traffic Signalling System.
- The speed limit violation is identified by Roadside Traffic Police vehicles provisioned with Speed Analysis Devices (Speedometers). The process of apprehension and booking in such case is an outcome of a Twin-Team action. One mapping team, checks for limit violations with equipment inside the Police Vehicle. The next team deployed at almost 200 meters away from the mapping spot, stops the violating vehicle for checking and issuing a challan (if required).
- In case of Traffic signalling violation (like jumping a red light), the spot Traffic Police Officials, can stop and act according to the provisions of laws in such cases.
- Overloading of Commercial Transport Vehicle or plying passengers with a Commercial Goods Carrier.
- The State Road Transport Departments have been acknowledged by Motor Vehicles Act and Indian Penal Code for regulating overloaded commercial vehicles. The Traffic Police Departments of the respective state are only entitled to take any action if the overloading of vehicle escapes the physical bounds of vehicle area and obstructs other vehicles on the road, thereby creating hazardous circumstances.
- An overloaded vehicle is only allowed to continue its course; after unloading excess load. The expenses of Unloading, Inventory and subsequent Handling/Transportation of the excess load will have to be incurred by the offender in this case.
- Driving under Alcoholic or any other Narcotic/Psychotropic Substance Influence.
- Traffic Police Officials, or State Police Officials present on the spot, can stop your vehicle and request a “Breathe Analyser Test” or take you to Local Police station or Government Hospital and have your blood tested for BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) Limit. They may take subsequent action as well after the blood test has been done.
- Usage of Mobile Phone while driving.
Process to get back Suspended License
You may confirm the status of your driving license for suspension from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways' Parivahan website.
In case of your driving license suspension, the dedicated Police Authority can confiscate your Driving License and issue a receipt against the same. The receipt of License suspension clearly states the cause of suspension and dedicated R.T.O. details for resolution of the case. The confiscated license is then forwarded to the issuing R.T.O of your License.
Related R.T.O issues a 'Show Cause notice' in your name against suspension. After 3 months (or designated suspension timeline) of submitting a satisfactory response for the ‘Show Cause Notice’, you may collect your license by producing the Suspension Receipt to the R.T.O. Please take notice that this ‘timeline of suspension’ starts from the day when your suspended license is received by your respective license issuing R.T.O upon submission from the booking police officer/department.
The dedicated time and venue of License retrieval is informed to you by R.T.O officials, after the due hearing of Show Cause Notice.
