Kerala High Court Grants KSRTC Further Time To Install Tracking System, Emergency Buttons In Public Vehicles

The Kerala High Court on Thursday acceded to the request put forth by the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation's (KSRTC) seeking further extension in time to comply with the Court's directive to install tracking systems in public vehicles.

A Division Bench of Justice K. Vinod Chandran and Justice C. Jayachandran granted more time to the Corporation to equip all public transport vehicles with tracking devices and emergency buttons.

The Court further clarified that this extension shall apply to all the respondents in the matter.

This comes after KSRTC filed another application seeking more time to implement the Court's direction since the already granted extension would expire in a matter of days. 

Senior Advocate Ranjith Thampan also informed the Court that KSRTC had purchased vehicle tracking devices and other necessary equipment. 

The Court had on November 2020, directed the State Government to effectively implement Rule 151-A of the Kerala Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, notifications, and Circular No.19/2019 with effect from 1st January 2021.

Accordingly, a direction was issued to the KSRTC to install vehicle tracking systems on all its vehicles. 

The Court had granted extensions to KSRTC in the matter time and again considering the spread of the Covid-9 pandemic in the State throughout this year, the last one being on May 2021.

Later on, considering the pandemic, the Central Government had also granted further extension till 31.10.2021 keeping in abeyance the directions of the Court till then. 

The petition, filed by activist Jaffer Khan through Advocate Praveen K Joy, had sought the installation of tracking devices and emergency buttons on public vehicles in the interests of safety for women and children.

The petition referenced a directive of a Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs to State Governments directing the installation of these devices in light of the Nirbhaya Gangrape case, which occurred on a moving bus. 

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly while allowing the petition had noted that there was a duty cast upon the State to install the devices, relying on the Union Cabinet Committee's directions as also amendments to the Kerala Motor Vehicles Rules.

Case Title: Jaffer Khan v. Union of India