Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday launched a smart card system for issuing driving licenses here, which is expected to check "corruption and mismanagement".

An official release here said that Tamil Nadu would be the first state in South India to introduce such a card, which has an integrated circuit and is capable of storing and verifying information.

The smart card also provides updated data relating to driver's license, permits and other transactions.

Initially, the smart card system would be introduced in north Thiruvanmiyur RTO office and gradually the cards would be issued at other centres.

The release said the smart card can be updated but the data cannot be erased. The data stored in optical strip was digitally signed to prevent unauthorised access.