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-   -   Tamil Nadu: Now mandatory for you to carry original driving licence (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street-experiences/189946-tamil-nadu-now-mandatory-you-carry-original-driving-licence.html)

http://www.newindianexpress.com/citi...r-1646999.html

Link to the actual newspaper report. According to the report "Honorable" minister has introduced this measure to curb the drivers' with suspended licenses from continuing to drive? Many questions arise in my mind.

1. Are these people capable of really holding such responsible positions?(With their very high MENSA scores)
2.Where are they in this digital age?
3.Why can't the police have a tab connected to digital database which has link to all the driving licences issued/actions taken and the vehicle registration?
4.What checks and balances they have from preventing the cops by retaining the licences and harass the public?(May be that is the whole idea - to increase cops income rather than increasing the salary)


PS : MODS please merge or delete this thread if there is any other relevant thread or can be made as a thread on what documents to carry while driving.

There have been reports on television that the Madras High Court has said that it is not required to carry the original. (That is the info in tamil)

AFAIK it has always been mandatory to carry your original Driving Licence. All other documents can be produced within 14 days. There has never been any official notification allowing use of photocopies though most policemen accept it.
The scenario is like this:
1. You get pulled up and produce driving licence and documents. Either they let you go or write a Challan for any traffic offence (no seat belt etc). Either you pay on the spot or they impound your licence. You can collet it from the Traffic Cell or RTO within 14 days after paying the fine
2. You get pulled up and produce driving licence but no documents. They will write a Challan and impound your licence. Within 14 days you produce the documents at the Traffic Cell or RTO. They will return the licence and let you go unless there is a fine for some offence in which case you have to pay.
3. You get pulled up and don't produce driving licence and documents. They will write a Challan and impound your vehicle. Within 14 days you produce the documents at the Traffic Cell or RTO. You will have to pay a fine for not carrying a licence (different from not possessing a licence) and any other fines that may be there.

Searched for my original licence today, only to find that what I had filed away was... a copy. Yes, there, in my purse, carried every day, was indeed my original licence.

Remembered that, had decided to do this just on a hunch that it just might be the one thing a policeman might demand to see the original of.

+1 to this. In fact, it is always a wise idea of keeping attested copies (by a gazetted officer) of the vehicle RC in the car. The insurance dockets are mostly digital in these days so just a printout would do, whereas the original PUC is needed.

The driving license does not enjoy such leniency however, as in the unfortunate event of an accident - which is a crime under IPC - the police need to follow SOP like FIR etc. The said 14-day window cannot be applicable in such a scenario.

Given its compact dimensions which are similar to a credit card, I always carry my DL regardless of whether I am actually driving/riding or travelling as a passenger in public transport vehicles e.g. a bus, train, taxi or rickshaw.

In a pinch, it comes in useful as a proof of identity and address. There is no harm in carrying a Govt. issued ID. You never know when it comes in handy.

Anyway it is not inconvenient to carry a small card along with so many other cards. But the fear of loosing it and, seeing the way the RTOs work, difficulty in getting a new one weigh high on the mind for not carrying the original. And not to say the harassment once a valuable document of yours get impounded by the cops.

I lost my dl and am waiting the agonizing long wait for a new licence. I am by nature forgetful, and keep losing things (on my third replacement debit card in 2 years right now) I had tried to manage with photocopies and now the govt wants to make things hard for me. Looks like centre and state govts are vying with each other to come up with revolutionary new measures to inconvenience the public. :deadhorse

I always have had my original license with me in my wallet and barely a year old license has the letters already faded - mainly the header in the front and the licensed vehicle category information in the back. I don't know if it's my luck but the photocopy I keep beside it looks perfect to this day.

I will have to continue to carry around both now with original for the hologram and photocopy for reading the license information.

Folks, there is a simple solution already implemented by government of India. https://digilocker.gov.in - Here, one can get digitally signed documents like vehicle registration, driver's license, Aadhaar card, CBSE mark sheets etc. The only catch is your name on Aadhaar and other documents must be same and your number linked to Aadhaar should be working (you will get OTP here).

Link to FAQs - https://digilocker.gov.in/faq.php
I have taken out printouts of my driver's license and when shown to a cop, he accepted it as a valid copy. You can also keep a digital copy in your mobile phone and show it as well.

EDIT - It has always been mandatory to carry original license, incase you forgot, you can show it to the nearest police station within 7 days. However this rule is rarely implemented as it creates headache for the cops. Hence they made do with photocopies. Once I forgot my wallet home and the cops let me go when I showed them a picture of my license. I did have the original RC and insurance in the car though.

There are no two ways around the fact that you need to carry the original DL whilst driving or riding a motor vehicle. This is a mandatory provision. Not carry your DL can lead to the cops impounding your vehicle till you produce the license. Now, this is a real problem for me since I don't like the idea of my vehicles being parked on some random field with nobody answerable in case of damage to the car or theft of accessories.

If you lose the DL there not too many hassles getting a DL replacement at least here in Pune. You need to file a police report, take a copy of the report to the RTO and attach it to the application. The fee receipt acts as a temporary DL and you get the card in about 7 days. This is the way it is supposed to be. However, if you grease one or more palms you sometimes don't even need a police report. ;)

even the digilocker will not be accepted
http://www.newindianexpress.com/stat...e-1651005.html

Legally speaking, we need to check if the IT Act trumps the city police or not.

From the link.
In that case, not everything must be issued on a circular for it to be true. Do the cops check if the insurance is actually valid and not a photoshop ? This is just an easy way out for the cops.

While I always carry the original, I am reluctant to hand it over to the cops (especially when out of state) so I show the digital copy.

If you forget your licence and produce it later you still pay a fine.

Strange! I have my original DL issued in 2001 by KK Nagar RTO and the letters were as it was on day 1. Have seen the same with my better half' as well. We've been carrying around the original much before its being mandated.

You could buy a small pouch and keep it inside that, this way the lettering isn't directly exposed to rough surfaces.