Power of police officer to impound document
Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 deals with power of police officer to impound document. Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, if he has reason to believe that any identification mark carried on a motor vehicle or any licence, permit, certificate of registration, certificate of insurance or other document produced to him by the driver The Act came into force on 01 Jul 1989.
(1) Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, if he has reason to believe that any identification mark carried on a motor vehicle or any licence, permit, certificate of registration, certificate of insurance or other document produced to him by the driver or person in charge of a motor vehicle is a false document within the meaning of section 464 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860), seize the mark or document and call upon the driver or owner of the vehicle to account for his possession of or the presence in the vehicle of such mark or document.
(2) Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, if he has reason to believe that the driver of amotor vehicle who is charged with any offence under this Act may abscond or otherwise avoid the service of a summons, seize any licence held by such driver and forward it to the Court taking cognizance of the offence and the said Court shall on the first appearance of such driver before it, return the licence to him in exchange for the temporary acknowledgment given under sub-section (3).
(3) A police officer or other person seizing a licence under sub-section (2) shall give to the person surrendering the licence a temporary acknowledgment therefor and such acknowledgment shall authorise the holder to drive until the licence has been returned to him or until such date as may be specified by the police officer or other person in the acknowledgment, whichever is earlier:
Provided that if any magistrate, police officer or other person authorised by the State Government in this behalf is, on an application made to him, satisfied that the licence cannot be, or has not been, returned to the holder thereof before the date specified in the acknowledgment for any reason for which the holder is not responsible, the magistrate, police officer or other person, as the case may be, may extend the period of authorization to drive to such date as may be specified in the acknowledgment.
1[(4) A police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State Government shall, if he has reason to believe that the driver of a motor vehicle has committed an offence under any of sections 183, 184, 185, 189, 190, 194C, 194D, or 194E, seize the driving licence held by such driver and forward it to the licensing authority for disqualification or revocation proceedings under section 19:
Provided that the person seizing the licence shall give to the person surrendering the licence a temporary acknowledgement therefor, but such acknowledgement shall not authorise the holder to drive until the licence has been returned to him.]
Section 206, The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Act 59 of 1988).
Cross-references
Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.
This section refers to
- Indian Penal Code s. 464 Making a false document
- s. 19 Power of licensing authority to disqualify from holding a driving licence or revoke such licence
- s. 183 Driving at excessive speed, etc
- s. 184 Driving dangerously
- s. 185 Driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs
- s. 189 Racing and trials of speed
- s. 190 Using vehicle in unsafe condition
- s. 194C Penalty for violation of safety measures for motor cycle drivers and pillion riders
- s. 194D Penalty for not wearing protective headgear
Judgments citing this section
These may be obiter dicta or a precedent, for you to study. These are the judgments where this section is quoted.
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… The name of the driver and also the number of the licence are endorsed in the check report. The contention raised by the petitioner is that the AMVI, though has authority to seize the licence, is under obligation to issue an acknowledgment under sub Section (3) of Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act, which would enable the petitioner to drive the vehicle on the basis of such acknowledgment. 2. On instructions, the learned Government Pleader submits that the check report is sufficient acknowledgment which would show that the licence had been seized by the Motor Vehicle's …
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… Pleader appearing for the respondent submits on instructions that a charge memo was issued against the owner of the goods vehicle driven by the petitioner for violating section 113(3) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The learned Government Pleader also submitted that it was in exercise of the power conferred under section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 that the petitioner's driving licence was seized. Sub-sections (1) and (2) of section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 read as follows: "(1) Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, if he has reason to believe that any …
Questions about Section 206
What does Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act deal with?
Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act is headed "Power of police officer to impound document". Any police officer or other person authorised in this behalf by the State Government may, if he has reason to believe that any identification mark carried on a motor vehicle or any licence, permit, certificate of registration, certificate of insurance or other document produced to him by the driver
How do I find court cases under Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act?
In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: MV Act 206, section 206 MV Act, section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.
What should I read with Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act, and has it changed?
Its own text turns on Indian Penal Code 464 (Making a false document), section 19 (Power of licensing authority to disqualify from holding a driving licence or revoke such licence), section 183 (Driving at excessive speed, etc), section 184 (Driving dangerously), and on 5 further provisions, so none of them can safely be read on its own. 3 other provisions in this corpus refer back to it.
When did Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act come into force?
Section 206 of the Motor Vehicles Act, cited as MV Act 206, came into force on 01 Jul 1989, having been enacted on 14 Oct 1988. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.
Other sections of this Act
- 2. Definitions1948 words
- 88. Validation of permits for use outside region in which granted1560 words
- 51. Special provisions regarding motor vehicle subject to hire-purchase agreement, etc1199 words
- 150. Duty of insurers to satisfy judgments and awards against persons insured in respect of third party risks1102 words
- 96. Power of State Government to make rules for the purposes of this Chapter995 words
- 72. Grant of stage carriage permits868 words
Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.