Overview
- The Commerce and Transport Department issued an official notification that establishes a graded penalty schedule and compounding procedure for driving without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate.
- Fines are set by vehicle class: motorcycles and three‑wheelers face Rs 1,000 for a first offence and Rs 2,000 for repeats; motor cabs, cars, jeeps, tractors and trailers face Rs 2,000 first and Rs 5,000 repeat; other and transport vehicles face Rs 3,000 first and Rs 6,000 repeat.
- The notice fixes compounding fees and allows offences to be compounded either before or after prosecution, and it bars submission of a prosecution report if an offence is compounded before that report is filed.
- The government made clear that paying the compounding fee does not legalize driving; a vehicle must hold a valid PUCC before it can be driven in a public place.
- The change narrows enforcement rules and raises costs for repeat offenders, and it clarifies for owners and police how PUCC non‑compliance will be settled and prosecuted going forward.