Section 207 MV Act

Section 207 MV Act

Whenever some vehicle is seen violating the traffic safety rules, traffic police officers or any person authorised by the Government of India have to take stringent actions against them. In the process, authorities tend to detain vehicles.

Many times, the question that most people ask is whether the officials have the authority to detain vehicles in India. As a matter of fact, they do. Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act talks specifically about the same.

What is Section 207 of the MV Act?

Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act offers the power to detain vehicles when they are used without the certificate of registration permit, etc. Let us understand what the section entails –

1. Any police officer or a person authorised by the State Government of India can detain a vehicle if they believe that the vehicle is contravening Section 3, Section 4, Section 39, or is being driven without a permit under sub-Section (1) of Section 66. On the other hand, the authorities can seize the vehicle for temporary safety if it is seen utilised for illegal purposes. Also, if the authority feels that the vehicle is being used for unlawful purposes, they can seize the certificate of registration instead of the vehicle and shall issue an acknowledgement in respect of the same.

2. The individual whose vehicle has been detained by the authority under sub-section (1) can apply to the transport officer or any other person in charge appointed by the State Government with relevant documents for the release of the vehicle. After carefully verifying the presented documents, the authority can decline or accept the release, as they desire.

Punishment for Driving a Vehicle Without A Permit

In case you are caught driving a vehicle without a valid permit, you will be held guilty under Section 130 r/w Section 177 of the New Motor Vehicle Act. The punishment to be followed is a penalty of INR 10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to six months.

Moreover, the traffic police officer or the authorised individual appointed by the State Government can detain your vehicle for the same under Section 207 of the Motor Vehicles Act. In such a situation, the owner of the vehicle has to appeal for the release of the vehicle to the Transport Authority or the person appointed by the State Government with relevant documents.

The Bottom Line

Avoid driving your vehicles without a valid registration certificate if you do not wish to face the punishment or have your vehicle seized by the authorities. Also, ensure that you are carrying a valid driving licence, car insurance, and PUC along with the vehicle permit when driving your vehicle. Overall, it is wise to abide by the traffic safety regulations to avoid paying hefty fines or serving jail time.