Motor Vehicles Act Section 158 — Production of certain certificates, licence and permit in certain cases
CHAPTER IX MOTOR VEHICLES TEMPORARILY LEAVING OR VISITING INDIA
Civil
Summary
Sub-section (1) requires any person driving a motor vehicle in a public place to show certain documents when asked by a police officer in uniform who has been authorised by the State Government for this purpose. The documents that must be produced are the certificate of insurance, the certificate of registration, the pollution under control certificate, the driving licence, and, in the case of a transport vehicle, the certificate of fitness and the permit. Additionally, any certificate or authorisation of exemption granted under this Act relating to the use of the vehicle must also be produced.
Under clause (a) of sub-section (1), the driver must produce the certificate of insurance when required.
Under clause (b) of sub-section (1), the driver must produce the certificate of registration when required.
Under clause (c) of sub-section (1), the driver must produce the pollution under control certificate when required.
Under clause (d) of sub-section (1), the driver must produce the driving licence when required.
Under clause (e) of sub-section (1), in the case of a transport vehicle, the driver must also produce the certificate of fitness referred to in section 56, and the permit.
Under clause (f) of sub-section (1), the driver must produce any certificate or authorisation of exemption that has been granted under this Act relating to the use of the vehicle.
Sub-section (2) deals with situations where an accident occurs in a public place involving death or bodily injury to another person. If the driver does not at that time produce the required certificate, driving licence and permit referred to in sub-section (1) to a police officer, then the driver or the owner must produce these documents at the police station where the driver makes the report required by section 134.
Sub-section (3) states that no person shall be liable to conviction for offences under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) for failing to produce the required certificate if, within seven days from the date on which its production was required under sub-section (1), or from the date of the accident, the person produces the certificate at a police station that was specified to the police officer who required its production, or to the police officer at the site of the accident, or to the officer-in-charge of the police station where the accident was reported. However, this protection does not apply to the driver of a transport vehicle, except to the extent and with such modifications as may be prescribed.
Sub-section (4) requires the owner of a motor vehicle to give information that may be required by or on behalf of a police officer empowered by the State Government for the purpose of determining whether the vehicle was being driven in contravention of section 146, and also on any occasion when the driver was required under this section to produce the certificate of insurance.
Sub-section (5) defines the expression "produce the certificate of insurance" to mean producing for examination the relevant certificate of insurance or such other evidence as may be prescribed to prove that the vehicle was not being driven in contravention of section 146.
Official Text
(1) Any person driving a motor vehicle in any public place shall, on being so required by a police officer in uniform authorised in this behalf by the State Government, produce—
(a) the certificate of insurance;
(b) the certificate of registration;
(c) the pollution under control certificate;
(d) the driving licence;
(e) in the case of a transport vehicle, also the certificate of fitness referred to in section 56, and the permit; and
(f) any certificate or authorisation of exemption that has been granted under this Act, relating to the use of the vehicle.
(2) Where, owing to the presence of a motor vehicle in a public place, an accident occurs involving death or bodily injury to another person, if the driver of the vehicle does not at that time produce the required certificate, driving licence and permit referred to in sub-section (1) to a police officer, he or the owner shall produce the said certificates, licence and permit at the police station at which the driver makes the report required by section 134.
(3) No person shall be liable to conviction for offences under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) by reason of the failure to produce the required certificate if, within seven days from the date on which its production was required under sub-section (1), or as the case may be, from the date of occurrence of the accident, he produces the certificate at such police station as may have been specified by him to the police officer who required its production or, as the case may be, to the police officer at the site of the accident or to the officer-in-charge of the police station at which he reported the accident: Provided that except to such extent and with such modifications as may be prescribed, the provisions of this sub-section shall not apply to the driver of a transport vehicle.
(4) The owner of a motor vehicle shall give such information as he may be required by or on behalf of a police officer empowered in this behalf by the State Government for the purpose of determining whether the vehicle was or was not being driven in contravention of section 146 and on any occasion when the driver was required under this section to produce the certificate of insurance.
(5) In this section, the expression “produce the certificate of insurance” means production for examination the relevant certificate of insurance or such other evidence as may be prescribed to prove that the vehicle was not being driven in contravention of section 146.