Section 203: Breath tests. - [(1) A police officer in uniform or an officer of the Motor Vehicles Department, as may be authorised in this behalf by that Department, may require any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle in a public place to provide one or more specimens of breath for breath test there or nearby, if such police officer or officer has any reasonable cause to suspect him of having committed an offence under section 185:

Q: What does Section 203 of The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MVA) deal with?

Section 203 MVA pertains to "Breath tests. - [(1) A police officer in uniform or an officer of the Motor Vehicles Department, as may be authorised in this behalf by that Department, may require any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle in a public place to provide one or more specimens of breath for breath test there or nearby, if such police officer or officer has any reasonable cause to suspect him of having committed an offence under section 185:". It is part of the The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, a legislation enacted by the Parliament of India. Section 203 of The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MVA) governs breath tests. - [(1) A police officer in uniform or an officer of the Motor Vehicles Department, as may be authorised in this behalf by that Department, may require any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle in a public place to provide one or more specimens of breath for breath test there or nearby, if such police officer or officer has any reasonable cause to suspect him of having committed an offence under section 185:. As verified on 19 May 2026.

Q: Is Section 203 MVA still in force?

Yes, Section 203 of the The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is currently in force across the Republic of India.

Q: What is धारा 203 MVA?

धारा 203 MVA is the Devanagari Hindi reference for Section 203 of the The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. Section 203 of The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MVA) governs breath tests. - [(1) A police officer in uniform or an officer of the Motor Vehicles Department, as may be authorised in this behalf by that Department, may require any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle in a public place to provide one or more specimens of breath for breath test there or nearby, if such police officer or officer has any reasonable cause to suspect him of having committed an offence under section 185:. As verified on 19 May 2026.

Q: What is Dhara 203 MVA?

Dhara 203 MVA is the Roman Hindi reference for Section 203 of the The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. "Dhara" means "Section" in Hindi. Section 203 of The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MVA) governs breath tests. - [(1) A police officer in uniform or an officer of the Motor Vehicles Department, as may be authorised in this behalf by that Department, may require any person driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle in a public place to provide one or more specimens of breath for breath test there or nearby, if such police officer or officer has any reasonable cause to suspect him of having committed an offence under section 185:. As verified on 19 May 2026.

Q: How to cite Section 203 of The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988?

Cite as: "Section 203, The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MVA)" in legal briefs. For academic writing, use the BlueBook format: The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, § 203 (India).

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Provided that requirement for breath test shall be made (unless it is made) as soon as reasonably practicable after the commission of such offence.]

(2)

If a motor vehicle is involved in an accident in a public place and a police officer in uniform has any reasonable cause to suspect that the person who was driving the motor vehicle at the time of the accident had alcohol in his blood or that he was driving under the influence of a drug referred to in section 185 he may require the person so driving the motor vehicle, to provide a specimen of his breath for a breath test

(a) in the case of a person who is at a hospital as an indoor patient, at the hospital,

(b) in the case of any other person, either at or near the place where the requirement is made, or, if the police officer thinks fit, at a police station specified by the police officer:

(3)

If it appears to a police officer in uniform, in consequence of a breath test carried out by him on any person under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), that the device by means of which the test has been carried out indicates the presence of alcohol in the persons blood, the police officer may arrest that person without warrant except while that person is at a hospital as an indoor patient.

(4)

If a person, required by a police officer under sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) to provide a specimen of breath for a breath test, refuses or fails to do so and the police officer has reasonable cause to suspect him of having alcohol in his blood, the police officer may arrest him without warrant except while he is at a hospital as an indoor patient.

(5)

A person arrested under this section shall while at a police station, be given an opportunity to provide a specimen of breath for a breath test there.

(6)

The results of a breath test made in pursuance of the provisions of this section shall be admissible in evidence.

Explanation. For the purposes of this section breath test, means a test for the purpose of obtaining an indication of the presence of alcohol in a persons blood carried out, on one or more specimens of breath provided by that person, by means of a device of a type approved by the Central Government, by notification in the Official Gazette, for the purpose of such a test.