New Delhi, May 13 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed all States and Union Territories to strictly enforce rules mandating the installation of vehicle location tracking devices and panic buttons in taxis and other public service vehicles.

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan observed that it was alarming that less than one per cent of transport vehicles were equipped with vehicle location tracking systems.

"We direct all States and Union Territories to strictly enforce Rule 125H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 by ensuring the installation of vehicle location tracking devices and panic buttons in a time-bound and verifiable manner in both new and existing public service vehicles," it directed.

It said suc...