Malayalees who obtained driving license from other states are in for challenge, will face difficulty to change their address

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Malayalees who obtained driving licenses from other states will now have to prove their driving skills to change their address to Kerala, thanks to a new rule introduced by the Motor Vehicles Department. This move comes after many individuals started obtaining licenses from neighbouring states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, where driving tests are conducted more leniently.

Recently, the state government had revised the procedure for obtaining a driving license in Kerala. With stricter test guidelines and a reduction in the number of tests allowed daily, many people started going to other states to obtain their licenses. This prompted the Motor Vehicles Department to tighten the regulations.

As per the new procedure, the Motor Vehicle Inspector can decide whether to conduct a road test to verify the applicant's driving skills. However, most inspectors are opting to conduct the test, as they are hesitant to take personal responsibility. Meanwhile, it remains to be seen how individuals who obtained licenses from other states will respond to this development.

The standards for obtaining a driving license across the country are uniform as per the Motor Vehicles Act. However, after K.B. Ganesh Kumar took over as the Transport Minister in Kerala, the laws were made stricter. As a result, the number of people opting to obtain licenses from other states increased.