The Manipur State Road Transport (Prevention of Ticketless Passengers) Act, 1976

(1) This Act may be called the Manipur State Road Transport (Prevention of Ticketless Passengers) Act, 1976. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Manipur. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "Fare" means the total amount of charges payable by a person or group of persons in respect of his by their carriage; (b) "road transport service" means a service of motor vehicles carrying persons or goods on road for hire or reward; (c) "state transport undertakings" means any undertaking providing road transport service, where such undertaking is carried on by— (i) a corporation or (ii) the State Government; (d) "ticket" includes a duty, privilege or courtesy pass issued under the authority of the State Transport Undertaking; (e) the words and expressions used but not defined in this Act shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Motor Vehicles Act, 1939 (No. 4 of 1939).

Every person desirous of travelling on a road transport service carried by the State Transport Undertakings shall, upon payment of his fare, be supplied with a ticket by a servant of the State Transport Undertaking authorised in this behalf or an agent duly appointed by the State Transport Undertaking for the purpose specifying the motor vehicle for which, the place from and the place to which the fare has been paid, and the amount of the fare.

No person shall enter or remain in any motor vehicle comprised in road transport service carried by the State Transport Undertaking for purpose of travelling therein unless he has with him a proper ticket.

Whoever travels in any motor vehicle comprised in road transport service carried by the State Transport Undertaking shall, on a requisition of any servant of the State Transport Undertaking authorised by it in this behalf, present his ticket to such servant for examination at or before the end of the journey for which ticket was issued.

(1) If a person travels in a motor vehicle comprised in road transport service carried by the State Transport Undertaking without having a proper ticket with him or having alighted from the motor vehicle, fails or refuses to present for examination his ticket immediately on requisition being made therefor under Section 5, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to Rs. 250 or with both and shall also be liable to pay the excess charge hereinafter in this section mentioned in addition to the ordinary single fare for the distance which he has travelled, or where there is any doubt as to the stage from which he started, the fare from the stage from which the motor vehicle originally started or the place where the tickets were last examined. (2) The excess charges referred to in sub-section (1) shall be a sum equivalent to the ordinary single fare referred to in that sub-section or Rs. 5 whichever is greater.

If a servant of the State Transport Undertaking or apparent referred to in section 3, whose duty is to supply a ticket to a person who travels or intends to travel in a motor vehicle comprised in road transport service carried by the State Transport Undertaking on payment of fare by him, negligently or wilfully omits to supply a ticket or supplies an invalid ticket, he shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to Rs. 250 or with both.

Any person, who travels or attempts to travel in a motor vehicle comprised in road transport service carried by the State Transport Undertaking without having proper ticket with him or beyond the place authorised by his ticket or who being in a motor vehicle fails or refuses to present for examination his ticket immediately on requisition being made therefor under section 5, may be removed from the motor vehicle by any servant of the State Transport Undertaking authorised in writing by it in this behalf or by any other person whom such servant may call to his aid unless he then and there pays the fare: Provided that no person shall be so removed from the motor vehicle between the hours 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. except either at the stage at which he first entered the vehicle or at the stage at the head-quarters of a district or sub-division or at the first available office of the State Transport Undertaking or at the nearest police station.

If a person wilfully obstructs or impedes any servant of the State Transport Undertaking in the discharge of his duty, he shall be punishable with imprisonment which may extend to one month or with fine which may extend to Rs. 250 or with both.

Any offence committed under this Act may be cognizable offence for the purpose of the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act No. 2 of 1974).

(1) The General Manager of the State Transport Undertaking, any officer or other employees specially empowered by him in this behalf in writing may, either before or after the institution of the proceedings, compound any offence made punishable by, or under, this Act. (2) Where an offence has been compounded, the offender if in custody, shall be discharged and no further proceeding shall be taken against him in respect of the offence so compounded.

In all trials of offences under this Act, the Magistrate shall follow the procedure prescribed in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (Act No. 2 of 1974) for the trial of summary cases.

(1) Out of the amount recovered for an offence under section 6 the excess charges and single fare referred to in that section shall be paid to the State Transport Undertaking before any portion of that amount is credited as fine to the State Government.

The provision of this Act shall have effect notwithstanding anything inconsistent therewith contained in any other Law.

The State Government may make rules for carrying out all, or any of the purposes of this Act.