Hyderabad: Since January, strict laws have been imposed against individuals found driving without licences. However, the Hyderabad traffic police booked over 20 people guilty of the offence in August.

According to the police, their vehicles have been detained and will only be released after the violators are issued licences by the Road Transport Authority. The violators will also be charge-sheeted and produced in court.

Joint commissioner of police, traffic, V. Ravinder said, “These persons were caught during special drives conducted at various locations in the city. They did not possess driving licences.”

The traffic police secured the conviction of 23 individuals in August, 19 of whom were imprisoned for three days and one person for four. “Violators who committed the offence out of ignorance of the law will be sent for counselling at traffic training institutes in Goshamahal and Begumpet,” Mr Ravinder said. The drive is being conducted in order to curb traffic violations and improve road safety.

The implementation of such drives began when the Supreme Court committee on road safety directed the traffic police not to confine itself to imposing fines on violators. Enforcement agencies were asked to invoke provisions of the MV Act envisaging imprisonment.As per Sections 180 and 181 of the Motor Vehicles Act, persons caught driving without licences can be jailed for up to three months. Mr A.V. Ranganath, deputy commissioner of police, traffic, said: “Those who have licences but are not carrying them at the time of being caught can produce them later on. Chargesheets are not filed against them, but they have to pay fines.”