Thiruvananthapuram: State police chief Loknath Behera has directed to make an officer in the rank of Sub Inspector (SI) in every police station in the state to a traffic SI.
According to the revised traffic rules, only the traffic SI or officials above the rank of traffic SI can levy fines for violating rules. In areas where there is no traffic department, an officer in the rank of Circle Inspector (CI) or above will have the authority to levy fines. However, this system is not available in Kerala at present.
Though important cities have traffic police stations, other police stations only have traffic branches. These have not been announced as separate sections. It is in this situation that the district police chiefs have been directed to nominate an SI from every station to traffic branch SI.
Officers in the same rank (SI or above) belonging to Highway Police, Interceptor Vehicle and other police units can levy the fine as they are part of traffic branch of police.
