The Karnataka police department has issued a memo mandating car passengers – including the driver, as well as those in the front seat and the front-facing rear seats – to wear seat belts, failing which a fine of Rs 1000 will be imposed. This will apply to the M1 category of motor vehicles, used for carrying passengers and comprising not more than eight seats in addition to the driver's seat. These include SUVs, MUVs, hatchbacks, sedans etc. An order was issued on Tuesday, October 18 by R Hithendra, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) (Road Safety) to all police commissionerates and district police heads in Karnataka, to enforce the rule.
The order, dated October 18, refers to a directive from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways from earlier in September. The Union government order dated September 19 mandates the wearing of seat belts under Section 194B of the Motor Vehicle Act 1988. It cites Rule 125(1) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, which says that all cars must have a seat belt for the driver and person occupying the front seat, while passenger vehicles with eight or fewer seats will also have seat belts for those occupying the front-facing rear seat. These passengers will also be mandated to wear seat belts. The Union government order came in the wake of the death of former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry, who was found to have been seated in the back and not wearing a seat belt.
Under Section 194B of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, which mandates the use of safety belts, "whoever drives a motor vehicle without wearing a seat belt or carries passengers not wearing safety belt shall be punishable with a fine of 1000 INR,” the Union government order said. “It is important to also mention that the seat covers on passenger seats should not obstruct the locking and unlocking of the seat belt,” it added.