Vidhi Codex

Bare Act

The Tamil Nadu Hackney Carriage Act, 1911

General191157 sections

The Tamil Nadu Hackney Carriage Act, 1911 regulates non-motorized public transport hired by the public, such as animal-drawn carriages, cycle-rickshaws, and hand-carts, initially in Chennai and expandable across Tamil Nadu. It explicitly bans hand-drawn rickshaws and requires annual registration for vehicles, compulsory licensing for drivers, and mandatory badges. The law establishes fare limits, passenger and luggage capacities, operating standards, and rules for lost property, while empowering authorities to designate public stands and inspect vehicles. This legislation matters because it provides a legal framework to ensure public safety, protect transport animals, prevent commuter exploitation, and maintain order in urban passenger and goods transit.

Start reading →Read full ActSections
  1. 1. Short title and extent
  2. 2. Repeal
  3. 3. Definitions
  4. 3-A. Prohibition against drawing or pushing hand-rickshaw
  5. 3-B. Penalty
  6. 4. Annual registration compulsory
  7. 5. Application for registry
  8. 6. Right to registry
  9. 7. Grant of carriage licence
  10. 8. Form of licence
  11. 9. Fee for licence
  12. 10. Suspension of licence by Deputy Commissioner
  13. 11. Transfer of registry
  14. 12. Notice of change of residence, etc., to be given by licensee
  15. 13. Transfers, etc., to be registered
  16. 14. Penalty for unlicensed hackney carriage
  17. 15. Numbering of carriage
  18. 16. Return of plate on expiry of licence
  19. 17. Penalty for using counterfeit plate
  20. 18. Penalty for plying for hire without plate
  21. 19. Grant of driver's licence
  22. 20. Particulars of licence to be registered
  23. 21. Penalty for driving without licence or lending licence
  24. 22. Suspension of licence by Deputy Commissioner
  25. 23. Penalty for suffering unlicensed person to drive
  26. 24. Supply of badge to driver
  27. 25. Return of expired licence and badge
  28. 26. Penalty on using counterfeit badge
  29. 27. Seizure of expired or counterfeit badge
  30. 28. Penalty for failing to produce licence before magistrate
  31. 29. Convictions under Act to be endorsed on licence
  32. 30. Cancellation or suspension of licence on conviction
  33. 31. Maximum fares for hackney carriages
  34. 32. Contract for higher fare invalid
  35. 33. Publication of authorized fares and distances.
  36. 34. Driver is bound to drive.
  37. 35. Quantity of luggage.
  38. 35-A. Maximum laden weight of, and height of load on, hand-carts.
  39. 36. Penalty for refusing to let hackney carriage for hire.
  40. 37. Penalties for various offences by driver.
  41. 38. Requisition to owner to produce absent driver.
  42. 39. Procedure in case of dispute between hirer and driver.
  43. 40. Procedure in case of refusal to pay fare.
  44. 41. Penalty for defacing or destroying plates, etc.
  45. 42. Penalty for wilful injury to carriage.
  46. 43. Section 43
  47. 44. Appointment of public stands.
  48. 45. Deposit of property left in carriages.
  49. 46. Police to register particulars of property deposited and grant receipt. Return of property to owner. Sale of unclaimed property.
  50. 46-A. Appeal.
  51. 47. Ex parte disposal of criminal charges.
  52. 48. Limitation restricting criminal proceedings.
  53. 49. Compensation for frivolous prosecution.
  54. 50. Power to make by-laws.
  55. 51. Penalty for breach of by-laws.
  56. 52. Delegation of Deputy Commissioner's functions.
  57. 53. Discharge of functions of Commissioner or Deputy Commissioner in mufassal.

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