Stickers Bearing Official Name, Designation or Political Party Is Tactic To Avoid Being Questioned By Police, Should Be Removed: Madras High Court
Madras HC on 02.12.2022 noted that use of stickers bearing official name, designation or political marks in vehicles is a tactic employed by violators to avoid being questioned by the police. This was seen in the matter of R.Chandrasekar v. The Secretary to Government, Home (Transport) Department & others, W.P (MD) No.27376 of 2022 the matter was presided over by the Coram of The Honourable Mr.Justice R.Mahadevan & The Honourable Mr.Justice J.Sathya Narayana Prasad.
FACTS OF THE CASE
This court is of the opinion that the use of stickers bearing the official name, designation or political marks in the motor vehicles is a tactic employed by those, attempting to avoid being questioned by the police officers & to project a sense of superiority. It is the responsibility of the citizens to abide by the laws & regulations of the State & any failure to do so results in serious consequences.
Justice R Mahadevan & Justice Sathya Narayana Prasad also opined that such stickers would in effect defeat the purpose of legislations standardising the marks & size of the number plate.
The sole purpose of fixing the standards for registration marks, size of numbers & letters on the number plates, is to ensure seamless identification of motor vehicles. Stickers on number plates, in effect, renders the whole intention of prescribing the size of letters & numbers nugatory. Therefore, such unlawful activities committed under the shield of such stickers/political marks, cannot be accepted by this court.
The court therefore directed the Regional Transport authorities to conduct daily inspections & seize such vehicles if their number plates are not in accordance with the standards prescribed. The court also directed the authorities to impose fine & initiate appropriate action against the violators.
The petitioner R Chandrasekar pointed out that in many parts of Karur district, instead of registration numbers, the names & photos of political parties are inscribed on the vehicles using adhesive stickers. Further, while the number & letters in the number plates are inscribed in small sizes, these photos are inscribed in much larger fonts.
The petitioner pointed out that such inscriptions were in violation of Rules 50 & 51 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 which mandates the size & font in which inscription is to be made on the number plates. It was also in violation of Motor Vehicles (High Security Registration Plates) Order, 2018 which requires owners to follow high security registration plates with hologram.
JUDGEMENT
The court noted that the provisions clearly stipulate the manner of display & the size & fonts to be used in the number plates. Teh law clearly states that stickers & adhesive labels are strictly prohibited in the vehicles.
Further, the Madras High Court in V.Ramesh v. the Vice Chancellor & others has clearly ruled against fixing of portraits of political personalities, name boards of organizations & party flags on the dashboards & windshields of the motor vehicles. The court had directed removal of such portraits & name boards from dashboard observing the same to be an unlawful activity to flout the law.
In view of the above legal positions, the court issued directions to the Regional Transport authorities & disposed of the matter.
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JUDGEMENT REVIEWED BY YAKSHU JINDAL.