UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Fix panic buttons, tracking devices in public transport vehicles: SC to States

Q1. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (including Rule 125H on VLTDs and panic buttons) are framed as subordinate legislation primarily under which one of the following parent statutes?

  • A. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988
  • B. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1939
  • C. The Road Transport Corporations Act, 1950
  • D. The Carriage by Road Act, 2007

Q2. The Supreme Court's May 2026 order directing States/UTs to enforce Rule 125H was delivered by a Bench headed by which one of the following judges?

  • A. Justice J.B. Pardiwala
  • B. Justice B.R. Gavai
  • C. Justice D.Y. Chandrachud
  • D. Justice Sanjiv Khanna

Q3. The 'Scheme on Women Safety on Public Road Transport', which funds VLTDs, GPS and panic buttons in select cities out of the Nirbhaya Fund, is implemented by which one of the following ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Road Transport and Highways
  • B. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • C. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

Q4. The enforcement of Rule 125H for new public service vehicles, originally due from 1 January 2019, was deferred by how many months?

  • A. 3 months
  • B. 6 months
  • C. 12 months
  • D. 1 month

Q5. With reference to the applicability and rollout of the Rule 125H VLTD/panic-button mandate, which one of the following statements is NOT correct?

  1. New public service vehicles registered on or after 1 January 2019 must comply.
  2. For public service vehicles registered up to 31 December 2018, States/UTs are to notify the compliance date.
  3. Several States cited the lack of command-and-control centres as a reason for the deferral.
  4. The mandate applies uniformly to two-wheelers and e-rickshaws as well.
  • A. 1 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 4 only
  • D. 3 only

Q6. Jaffer Khan vs Union of India, an earlier case concerning enforcement of the VLTD/panic-button rule, was decided in which year?

  • A. 2020
  • B. 2018
  • C. 2016
  • D. 2012

Q7. The device of 'continuing mandamus' used in such PILs is based on the writ of mandamus, which is one of how many writs the Supreme Court can issue under Article 32?

  • A. 5
  • B. 3
  • C. 6
  • D. 4

Q8. In the compliance data cited before the Court, 'speed-limiting devices' (speed governors), reported as fitted in under 5% of transport vehicles, are best described as devices that:

  • A. restrict the maximum speed of the vehicle
  • B. continuously transmit the vehicle's real-time location to a control centre
  • C. trigger an emergency alert when a passenger presses them
  • D. record video footage of the vehicle's cabin