Chandigarh: While making it clear that wearing a helmet would be mandatory for everyone riding a two-wheeler, including Sikh women not wearing a turban, the Punjab and Haryana high court has sought details from Haryana and Punjab govts and Chandigarh administration on challans issued against women for riding or pillion-riding two-wheelers without protective headgear.
Referring to the amendment in the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 with effect from Feb 15, 2022, the HC has observed: “Except for a person belonging to Sikh religion, who is wearing a turban, no other person (male or female) riding a motorcycle in a public place, is exempted from wearing the protective headgear conforming to the standards prescribed by the central govt. ”

Division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal has passed these orders while hearing a suo motu petition in which the HC had taken cognizance of increasing road fatalities involving women riders.
The HC had taken cognizance of the 2017 incident in which two Sikh girls, who were not wearing helmets, had died in a road accident near a Sector-22 hotel.
At that time, the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, mandated headgear for everyone riding two-wheelers, but permitted state govts to make relaxations in some categories. Chandigarh administration had earlier exempted all women from wearing helmets, but in Punjab and Haryana only Sikh women were exempted.