- News>
- Delhi
Helmet for women riders? HC to take final call
To ensure safety of women riding pillion, Delhi Government is likely to favour rescinding of an exemption for the fair sex from wearing helmet.
New Delhi: To ensure safety of women riding
pillion, Delhi Government is likely to favour rescinding of an
exemption for the fair sex from wearing helmet, irrespective
of their religion, but will leave the final decision to the
Delhi High Court.
The city government has framed its response following a notice by Delhi High Court asking it to make its stand clear on whether it should be made mandatory for women to wear helmets. The court had issued the notice to Delhi Government in August admitting a PIL which challenged a provision in the Delhi Motor Vehicles Rules which exempts women from wearing helmets when riding pillion.
"We feel that women should also wear helmets. But it is up to the court to decide on the issue," a top official of the city government said.
The petitioner Ulhas P R, a social filmmaker, in his affidavit challenging the exemption to women, said there should be a uniform law for all people, irrespective of their caste, creed, gender and religion.
As per the Motor Vehicle Act and rules, Sikhs wearing turban and women are exempted from wearing helmets while riding motor-cycles and scooters.
In 1990s, the city government had wanted to make wearing helmet by all sections including the Sikh community mandatory but the move was thwarted in the wake of protests from a section of the community. Officials, framing the response to the court notice, said the government was giving its opinion only on women riding pillion and it is not at all related to whether members of Sikh community riding two wheelers should also wear helmets.
When asked about the petitioner seeking uniform law for all people, irrespective of their caste, creed, gender and religion, they said government response will be confined to women pillion riders only.
The government had sought opinion of the police on the issue which also favoured making wearing of helmet compulsory for women while riding or driving a two wheeler.
As per police data, 64 women died in road accidents while travelling on two wheelers last year. This year also there have been 37 casualties of women while travelling on two wheelers till June.
The matter is expected to come up for hearing on October 19.
Petitioner Ulhas had submitted that with the intervention of the court, the city government had framed rules making headgear mandatory for motor cyclists and pillion riders but Sikh men and women have been exempted.
PTI
The city government has framed its response following a notice by Delhi High Court asking it to make its stand clear on whether it should be made mandatory for women to wear helmets. The court had issued the notice to Delhi Government in August admitting a PIL which challenged a provision in the Delhi Motor Vehicles Rules which exempts women from wearing helmets when riding pillion.
"We feel that women should also wear helmets. But it is up to the court to decide on the issue," a top official of the city government said.
The petitioner Ulhas P R, a social filmmaker, in his affidavit challenging the exemption to women, said there should be a uniform law for all people, irrespective of their caste, creed, gender and religion.
As per the Motor Vehicle Act and rules, Sikhs wearing turban and women are exempted from wearing helmets while riding motor-cycles and scooters.
In 1990s, the city government had wanted to make wearing helmet by all sections including the Sikh community mandatory but the move was thwarted in the wake of protests from a section of the community. Officials, framing the response to the court notice, said the government was giving its opinion only on women riding pillion and it is not at all related to whether members of Sikh community riding two wheelers should also wear helmets.
When asked about the petitioner seeking uniform law for all people, irrespective of their caste, creed, gender and religion, they said government response will be confined to women pillion riders only.
The government had sought opinion of the police on the issue which also favoured making wearing of helmet compulsory for women while riding or driving a two wheeler.
As per police data, 64 women died in road accidents while travelling on two wheelers last year. This year also there have been 37 casualties of women while travelling on two wheelers till June.
The matter is expected to come up for hearing on October 19.
Petitioner Ulhas had submitted that with the intervention of the court, the city government had framed rules making headgear mandatory for motor cyclists and pillion riders but Sikh men and women have been exempted.
PTI