(1) Such authority as may be prescribed by the Central Government may issue driving licence valid throughout India to persons who have completed their eighteenth year to drive motor vehicles which are the property or for the time being under the exclusive control of the Central Government and are used for Government purposes relating to the defence of the country and unconnected with any commercial enterprise.
(2) A driving licence issued under this section shall specify the class or description of vehicle which the holder is entitled to drive and the period for which he is so entitled.
(3) A driving licence issued under this section shall not entitle the holder to drive any motor vehicle except a motor vehicle referred to in sub-section (1).
(4) The authority issuing any driving licence under this section shall, at the request of any State Government, furnish such information respecting any person to whom a driving licence is issued as that Government may at any time require.
Legal Commentary & Landmark Judgments: Section 18
Section 18 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 provides an autonomous statutory regime for the issuance of specialized driving licences to armed forces personnel and Central Government servants operating vehicles used exclusively for defense and governmental purposes.
In MACT claims involving army or paramilitary trucks, ascertain whether the driver possessed an active Section 18 military driving permit and military vehicle logbook. Defeat sovereign immunity pleas by citing Pushpa Thakur: the tortious liability of the Union of India is co-extensive with private fleet operators under the Motor Vehicles Act.