Women’s safety : Unlawful procedures by Govt of Assam regarding VLTD in public vehicles

soon after the horrifying Nirbhaya gang rape in the national capital in the year 2012, the Government of India set up a Committee headed by late Hon’ble Justice (Retd.) J.S. Verma to recommend amendments of Criminal Laws to enable address the issue of Crime against Women. Among the several issues looking into by the committee, the Committee also looked into the issue of provision of adequate safety measures and amenities for women. In this regard, the Committee had given several recommendations, one of them being that “all buses should be fitted with tamper proof GPS systems.”
Taking a step towards implementing the aforementioned recommendation of the Committee, the Central Government on 28.11.2016 issued a Notification numbered GSR 1095(E), amending the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 by introducing Rule 125-H of those Rules making the fitment of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices with Emergency Panic Button mandatory for Public service vehicles and goods vehicles with national permit in the country. However,it is a matter of deep concern that unlawful procedures are being adopted with respect to the implementation of the said Rule in Assam by the Transport Department, Government of Assam.