Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
11 12[(1) A police officer in uniform or an officer of the Motor Vehicle Department as may be authorised in this behalf by that Department, may require any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle in a public place to provide one or more specimens of breath for breath test there or nearby, if such police officer or officer has any reasonable cause to suspect him to having committed an offence under section 185: 11. Sub-S. (2) substituted by Act 54 of 1994, S. 60 (w.e.f. 14-11-1994). Prior to its substitution, sub-S. (2) read as under :- “(2) A police officer in uniform may arrest without warrant :- (a) any person who being required under the provisions of this Act to give his name and address refuses to do so, or gives a name or address which the police officer has reason to believe to be false, or (b) any person concerned in an offence under this Act or reasonably suspected to have been so concerned, if the police officer has reason to believe that he will abscond or otherwise avoid the service of a summons." Provided that requirement for breath test shall be made (unless it is made) as soon as reasonably practicable after the commission of such offence.] (2) If a motor vehicle is involved in an accident in a public place and a police officer in uniform has any reasonable cause to suspect that the person who was driving the motor vehicle at the time of the accident had alcohol in his blood or that he was driving under the influence of a drug referred to in section 185 he may require the person so driving the motor vehicle, to provide a specimen of his breath for a breath test - (a) in the case of a person who is at a hospital as an indoor patient, at the hospital, (b) in the case of any other person, either at or near the place where the requirement is made, or, if the police officer thinks fit, at a police station specified by the police officer : Provided that a person shall not be required to provide such a specimen while at a hospital as an indoor patient if the registered medical practitioner in immediate charge of his case is not first notified of the proposal to make the requirement or object to the provision of a specimen on the ground that its provision or the requirement to provide it would be prejudicial to the proper care or treatment of the patient. (2) If it appears to a police officer in uniform, in consequence of a breath test carried out by him on any person under sub-section (1) or sub section (2), that the device by means of which the test has been carried out indicates the presence of alcohol in the person's blood, the police officer may arrest that person without warrant except while that person is at a hospital as an indoor patient. 12. Sub-S. (1) substituted by S.61, ibid (w.e.f. 14-11-1994). Prior its substitution, sub-S. (1) read as under :- “(1) A police officer in uniform may require any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle in a public place to provide one or more specimen of breath for breath test there or nearby, if the police officer has any reasonable cause to suspect him of having committed an offence punishable under section 185. Provided that no requirement for breath test shall be made unless it is made as soon as reasonably practicable after the commission of such offence.” (3) If a person, required by a police officer under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) to provide a specimen of breath for a breath test, refuses or fails to do so and the police officer has reasonable cause to suspect him of having alcohol in his blood, the police officer may arrest him without warrant except while he is at a hospital as an indoor patient. (4) A person arrested under this section shall while at a police station, be given an opportunity to provide a specimen of breath for a breath test there. (5) The results of a breath test made in pursuance of the provisions of this section shall be admissible in evidence. Explanation. - For the purposes of this section “breath test”, means a test for the purpose of obtaining an indication of the presence of alcohol in a person's blood carried out, on one or more specimens of breath provided by that person, by means of a device of a type approved by the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, for the purpose of such a test. Corresponding Law. - Section 203 corresponds to section 128-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. Objects and Reasons. - Clause 203 empowers the Police Officers to require any person driving a motor vehicle in a public place to provide for breath test and if, it is found that there is presence of alcohol in his blood or urine, the Police Officer may arrest him without warrant.