UT Home Secretary N. K. Jain today issued instructions to Chandigarh Police to enforce the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued last year making helmets compulsory for women two-wheeler drivers and passengers.

The directions follow refusal of the stay on a petition seeking exemption for women drivers and for women sitting on the pillon. For this the Chandigarh Administration filed a civil miscellaneous petition in the Supreme Court.

The Administration had earlier suspended challaning of women drivers without helmets and those on the pillion pending the apex court's verdict on the issue of stay.

The Chandigarh Police are likely to start challaning women, either driving or sitting in the pillion without helmets, from tomorrow onwards.

Meanwhile, the local unit of Shiromani Akali Dal has already announced that they will assemble at the Chandigarh Housing Board Chowk on Monday to protest the directives. SAD Secretary General N. S. Minhas said they will refund the challan amount to all challaned women.

Challans from today
Inspector General of Police S. K. Singh, when contacted, said the police will implement the orders right away. However, police are not starting any special drive against helmetless drivers immediately.

Traffic Superintendent of Police Balbir Singh said instructions have been passed to cops to challan the offenders immediately. "We shall be challaning them for all offences," he said. The police are anticipating agitations from various organisations in the wake of the implementation of the orders.