On Monday, a very peculiar case regarding a violation of the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 was reported from the Bodeli town of Chhota Udaipur district in Gujarat. Basically, the local traffic police stopped a commuter named Zakir Mamon for not wearing a helmet. They directed him to pay the fine as per the revised law. However, in the process, they encountered a unique problem. 

Read: Gujarat Reduces Motor Vehicles Act Fines For First-time Offenders

A mismatch between head and helmet size 

According to Mamon, the size of his head was so huge that he could not find any helmet in the market that could meet his requirement. He contended that he had respect for the law of the land. While he kept all the relevant vehicle documents with him, Mamon claimed helplessness when it came to wearing the helmet. He revealed that he had confided about this problem to the police. As he goes to his fruit shop on a motorbike, his family members fear that the new rules would result in Mamon being heavily penalized every time. On the other hand, the Assistant Sub Inspector, Traffic Branch of Bodeli, Vasant Rathva admitted that this was a unique case. He stated that the police had not fined Mamon. Rathva observed that the commuter was a law-abiding citizen, who carried the important documents while driving.  

Read: "It Doesn't Take Lesson In Rocket Science...": Mumbai Police's Chandrayaan 2 Reference To Promote Importance Of Wearing A Helmet Is Winning The Internet

Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 

By bringing in this legislation, the government has been accused of burdening the common man with heavy fines. The Act, which came into effect from September 1, aims at stricter punishments for traffic violations. It also seeks to bring discipline on the roads. States like Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhatisgarh, Rajasthan, Punjab, West Bengal, and Telangana have not implemented the revised hefty fines until now. Last week, the government of Gujarat decided to reduce the quantum of fines. Accordingly, the penalty for not wearing a helmet has been brought down from Rs.1,000 to Rs 500 while those not wearing the seatbelt would be fined Rs.500 instead of Rs.1,000. Earlier, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari defended the imposition of steep fines, stressing that the government wanted to save the lives of young people.

Read: 'Dear Baazigar...': Sachin Tendulkar Trolls Shah Rukh Khan For Not Wearing A Helmet

Read: Nitin Gadkari Defends Big Fines, Says 'life More Important Than Money'