A section of professional and amateur riders in the State has begun a social media campaign flaying the decision of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) to slap fines on those riding motorbikes with helmet-mounted cameras. Many of them find it an attempt to protect enforcement personnel who allegedly harass motorists on roads.
Riders’ forums with a pan-India network claim that the “thoughtless rule” by the MVD is a direct violation of Section 33(2) of the Kerala Police Act that states that “no police officer shall prevent any member of the public from lawfully making any audio or video or electronic record of any police action or activity carried out in a public or private place.”
A professional rider engaged in fighting the order says that there are even offers from his friends in other States to donate funds to fight the case of “Kerala’s plight” in court. “There are lawyers, police officers, and media persons who make use of helmet-mounted cameras for professional purposes. We are sure that they will help uncover the intention behind the move,” he says.
