Drunk drivers in Delhi may lose licence at 1st offence now

NEW DELHI: Days after a city court likened a drunk driver to a suicide bomber, traffic police have asked the transport department to cancel licences of first-time offenders as a deterrent. In an ongoing drive that began this week, 90 such licences have been recommended for cancellation.

A police officer said the request was made under a provision of section 20(2) of the Motor Vehicle Act where the enforcing authority can ask a magistrate to order the cancellation or suspension of a driving licence. "We even tweaked our e-challan machines so that the first challan for drunk driving recommends a cancellation or suspension of licence automatically so that the magistrate can take note of it," said Muktesh Chander, special commissioner of traffic.

So far, first-time offenders have been let off with a penalty.

The move comes alongside Delhi police considering booking drunk drivers involved in fatal accidents under section 304 IPC (culpable homicide) instead of section 304 A IPC (causing death due to negligence).

Police said most drunk drivers caught during the recent drive were asked to go through a counselling session. Recommendations for cancellation of licence were sent thereafter. In some cases, traffic police also sought jail terms. Once the notice for licence cancellation is served, the errant driver is asked to submit his or her licence to the local transport authority failing which criminal cases under sections 406 IPC is registered against them, a traffic police officer said.

Traffic police data shows that 1,412 drivers have been booked twice for dangerous driving this year so far while 430 have been booked more than twice for drunk driving. Around 219 have been challaned twice for speeding. Checks are also being conducted on vehicles entering the city as most drivers flouting the drunk driving norm are found to be from Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana.