NEW DELHI: The Centre has notified changes in the rules regarding the Good Samaritan law where people taking accident victims to the hospital cannot be made eye-witnesses in the case.
“A Good Samaritan who has informed the police of any accident involving a motor vehicle, or who has transported a victim of an accident involving a motor vehicle to the hospital, shall not be subjected to any further requirements by the police or the hospital, and shall be permitted to leave immediately. No police officer, any other person, shall compel a Good Samaritan to disclose his/her name, identity, address or any such other personal details,” the notification read.
However, Piyush Tewari, who had approached the Supreme Court seeking the Good Samaritan Law be made a legislation, is not happy with the rules that are notified.
“There was a provision in the draft we submitted and in the apex court guidelines which provided action against the police officers who do not comply with the rules. That is yet to be notified. If this does not happen, how will citizens’ fear be mitigated,” he said.
Tewari, who has founded SaveLife Foundation, a non-profit organisation to push for the law and other road safety measures, was also unhappy about the lack of awareness measures that were drafted into the notification.
“We wanted each police station to visibly display the rights that good samaritans have. However, that has not been notified,” he said.
However, the notification has rules for hospitals.
“Every hospital shall publish a charter in Hindi, English and vernacular language, at the entrance or other conspicuous location, stating the rights of Good Samaritans under the Act and this rule,” the notification read.