Seat belts were already mandatory. Enforcement was not.
The Supreme Court says the law already covers seat belts and child restraints. The petition was disposed of; the harder part remains making authorities enforce it.
The Supreme Court said existing seat-belt rules require enforcement.
India did not get a new seat-belt law on September 9. The Supreme Court said the existing law already requires seat-belt use in moving vehicles and that enforcement agencies must ensure compliance. The announcement, in other words, was that the rule already exists.
A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana disposed of a petition by Dr Jothydev Kesavadev seeking effective implementation of seat-belt and child-restraint requirements. The bench said, “The question is of implementation,” and noted that ensuring compliance was the work of law-enforcement agencies. The petitioner was allowed to place his recommendations before the competent authority.
The legal framework is not short on wording. Rule 138(3) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules requires the driver, front-seat occupant and front-facing rear-seat occupants to wear seat belts while the vehicle is moving, where belts are provided. Section 194B of the Motor Vehicles Act prescribes a ₹1,000 fine for driving without a belt or carrying passengers who are not wearing one. A separate provision covers children below 14 who are not secured by a belt or child-restraint system.
The Court did not announce a new deadline, monitoring mechanism or nationwide enforcement plan. The law has been ready. Enforcement is still apparently waiting for an invitation.