Chandigarh: Helmets may be mandatory for Sikh women not with turbans

CHANDIGARH: The UT administration plans to modify the notification regarding wearing of headgear by women riders and pillion riders and exempt only ‘Sikhs wearing turbans’.

Under a December 2018 notification of the administration, Sikh women were exempted from wearing helmets even if they didn’t wear a turban, which the UT now wants to change. An agenda regarding it will come up in a meeting of the state-level road safety council to be held under the chairmanship of UT adviser Dharam Pal on July 27.

In September 2019, the amended Motor Vehicles (MV) Act came into force. One of the sections (section 129) pertaining to protective headgear (helmet), under which the UT had exempted Sikh women from mandatory wearing of helmets was amended. While the amended provisions retain the exemption to “Sikh wearing turbans”, the states’ power to allow more exceptions has been withdrawn.

A senior UT official said they are proposing to fully implement the Centre’s MV Act and amendments, and only exempt “Sikhs wearing turbans”. The final call will be taken by the UT administrator, the official added.

On July 6, 2018, the UT amended an earlier notification of exempting all women from wearing a helmet to exempt only turban-wearing Sikh women from the rule. Thereafter, the UT started drive to challan women drivers without helmets. But pressure mounted, and the ministry of home affairs (MHA) in October 2018 advised the administration to exempt Sikh women from wearing helmets while riding two-wheeler or riding pillion in Chandigarh.

Finally, in December 2018, the administration issued final notification and made helmets optional for Sikh women.