Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
(1) Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, if he has reason to believe that a motor vehicle has been or is being used in contravention of the provisions of section 3 or section 4 or section 39 or without the permit required by sub section (1) of section 66 or in contravention of any condition of such permit relating to the route on which or the area in which or the purpose for which the vehicle may be used, seize and detain the vehicle, in the prescribed manner and for this purpose take or cause to be taken any steps he may consider proper for the temporary safe custody of the vehicle : Provided that where any such officer or person has reason to believe that a motor vehicle has been or is being used in contravention of section 3 or section 4 or without the permit required by sub-section (1) of section 66 he may, instead of seizing the vehicle, seize the certificate of registration of the vehicle and shall issue an acknowledgement in respect thereof. (2) Where a motor vehicle has been seized and detained under sub section (1), the owner or person in charge of the motor vehicle may apply to the transport authority or any officer authorised in this behalf by the State Government together with the relevant documents for the release of the vehicle and such authority or officer may, after verification of such documents, by order, release the vehicle subject to such conditions as the authority or officer may deem fit to impose. Corresponding Law. - Section 207 corresponds to section 129-A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939. Objects and Reasons. - Clause 207 empowers a police officer to impound a motor vehicle if he has reason to believe that the vehicle is being driven without registration, without a permit, driven by a person who has no driving licence or plying on unauthorised route and the vehicle may be released only after satisfying that the vehicle complies with the requirement of this section.