Sanjeev Ahluwalia | Punitive Laws Alone Can't De-Risk India's Highways
Deccan ChronicleChristmas Day, December 25, is also Good Governance Day in India, as it has been since 2014, to coincide with the birth anniversary of the late Atal Behari Vajpayee, India’s hugely loved and respected Prime Minister. Their ire was directed at the new sub-section 2 of Section 106 which provides for up to 10 years’ imprisonment and fine for accidentally killing someone whi-lst driving a vehicle “rashly or negligently” and ther-eafter “escaping” from the scene without informing the police. The existing provision under Section 106 for the generic offence of causing an unintentional death, by “any rash or negligent act” is imprisonment up to five years with a fine. To motivate vehicle drivers, to be more socially responsible and report any tragic mishaps, an alternative is to reward socially appropriate behaviour by limiting imprisonment to two years if the offender reports the incident, with the longer sentence of up to five years reserved for those both “rash and negligent” and socially irresponsible enough to escape after committing the crime. With growing incomes and better road infrastructure, personal vehicles are expected to increase faster than safer transportation infrastructure, like controlled access to highways, road segregation via protected walkways, conveniently spaced pedestrian underpasses and overpasses, accident management services, including a national police portal for reporting accidents, getting a digital token as evidence of an accident report and better public awareness about police station jurisdictions along highways to enable recourse to the police.
History of this topic
New criminal laws have reformed the justice system: PM Narendra Modi
Hindustan Times
New criminal laws, introduced after widespread consultation, to become effective on July 1: Law Minister
The Hindu
Centre Tasks Union Territories to 'Be Ready' for New Criminal Laws by End of March
News 18
Parliament passes 3 criminal law reform bills, PM Modi says 'watershed moment'
India Today
Kapil Sibal says IPC revamp will see ‘draconian powers’ used for ‘political end’
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