Minor driving crackdown: Telangana cancels vehicle registration for a year; over 4,000 registrations suspended in FY26
According to the Transport Department, the vehicle's registration has been cancelled for 12 months under Section 199A(4) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which prescribes stringent penalties for allowing minors to operate motor vehicles.
- Jul 14, 2026,
- Updated Jul 14, 2026 3:59 PM IST
The Telangana Transport Department has suspended the registration of a vehicle for one year after it was allegedly found being driven by a minor in Narsingi, reinforcing the state's zero-tolerance approach towards underage driving.
The action follows an incident on the Gandhamguda–Bairagiguda road in Narsingi, where a minor girl was allegedly seen driving a car while accompanied by Police Sub-Inspector Pujari Thirupathi. A case was registered against the officer a day earlier after videos of the incident surfaced.
According to the Transport Department, the vehicle's registration has been cancelled for 12 months under Section 199A(4) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which prescribes stringent penalties for allowing minors to operate motor vehicles.
Officials reiterated that the law places responsibility on the vehicle owner or guardian. Any person who knowingly permits a minor to drive is deemed guilty under the Motor Vehicles Act and can face legal action. The law also imposes penalties on the juvenile driver, who becomes ineligible to obtain a learner's licence or driving licence until attaining the age of 25 years.
The department said the latest action is part of a broader enforcement drive against juvenile driving across the state. During the last financial year, authorities cancelled the registrations of 4,070 vehicles after they were found being driven by minors, highlighting the scale of the crackdown.
Telangana has strengthened enforcement through detailed operational guidelines issued on October 25, 2024, outlining the procedure for implementing Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Under these guidelines, enforcement officers are required to seize the vehicle's Registration Certificate (RC) whenever a minor is caught driving. The details of the juvenile are then forwarded to the concerned registering authority, which initiates proceedings to suspend the vehicle's registration for one year after following due process.
The circular also requires authorities to record the juvenile's particulars in the transport database to ensure that no learner's licence or driving licence is issued to the individual until they turn 25 years old, as mandated under the Act.
The Telangana Transport Department has suspended the registration of a vehicle for one year after it was allegedly found being driven by a minor in Narsingi, reinforcing the state's zero-tolerance approach towards underage driving.
The action follows an incident on the Gandhamguda–Bairagiguda road in Narsingi, where a minor girl was allegedly seen driving a car while accompanied by Police Sub-Inspector Pujari Thirupathi. A case was registered against the officer a day earlier after videos of the incident surfaced.
According to the Transport Department, the vehicle's registration has been cancelled for 12 months under Section 199A(4) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which prescribes stringent penalties for allowing minors to operate motor vehicles.
Officials reiterated that the law places responsibility on the vehicle owner or guardian. Any person who knowingly permits a minor to drive is deemed guilty under the Motor Vehicles Act and can face legal action. The law also imposes penalties on the juvenile driver, who becomes ineligible to obtain a learner's licence or driving licence until attaining the age of 25 years.
The department said the latest action is part of a broader enforcement drive against juvenile driving across the state. During the last financial year, authorities cancelled the registrations of 4,070 vehicles after they were found being driven by minors, highlighting the scale of the crackdown.
Telangana has strengthened enforcement through detailed operational guidelines issued on October 25, 2024, outlining the procedure for implementing Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Under these guidelines, enforcement officers are required to seize the vehicle's Registration Certificate (RC) whenever a minor is caught driving. The details of the juvenile are then forwarded to the concerned registering authority, which initiates proceedings to suspend the vehicle's registration for one year after following due process.
The circular also requires authorities to record the juvenile's particulars in the transport database to ensure that no learner's licence or driving licence is issued to the individual until they turn 25 years old, as mandated under the Act.