Chandigarh: As many as 68 people were challaned for drink driving during the two-hour-long drive in Chandigarh on Friday night. The nakas were laid at 11 different locations in all the four traffic zones of Chandigarh. The four zones are central zone, east zone, south zone and south-west zone. The nakas were laid under the close supervision of traffic marshals, who monitored challan proceedings.

Meanwhile, traffic police have challaned a total of 5,000 people for drink driving between January 1, 2017, and October 13, 2017, and the figures are high than the number of challans issued during the same period in 2016. 

Meanwhile, traffic police have challaned a total of 5,000 people for drink driving between January 1, 2017, and October 13, 2017, and the figures are high than the number of challans issued during the same period in 2016. 4,217 people got challaned between January 1, 2016, and October 13, 2016. In Chandigarh, bars, restaurants, clubs and discos situated adjoining the highways started serving liquor in the first week of September.

The driving licences of all the 68 challaned were seized and submitted to the court of chief judicial magistrate for further action. Sources said the court is likely to suspend the driving licences of all the challaned people for the next six months. According to Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle (MV) Act 1988, a challaned person for drink driving shall be punishable for the first offence with imprisonment for a term extending to six months or with fine which may extend to Rs 2,000 or with both.

Further, according to Sector 20(2) of Motor Vehicle Act 1988, the driving licence of the challaned person shall be disqualified for a period of not less than six months. And, under Section 22(2) of the MV Act, 1988, if a person, having been previously convicted of an offence punishable under Section 185, is again convicted of an offence punishable under that section, the court, making such subsequent convictions, shall, by order, cancel the driving licence held by such a person.