Action against vehicles flashing caste names in Uttar Pradesh

TNN / Updated: Dec 28, 2020, 12:27 IST

LUCKNOW: UP transport department has issued an order to all its RTOs, ARTOs  nd enforcement officers to take necessary action under the MV Act against that are found on road with the caste of the owner displayed on the number plate.
The order has been issued by additional transport commissioner (administration), Mukesh Chandra tagging a letter which was addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS) and which
said that displaying caste-based names on number plates is a trend in UP and many other states.
The letter written by Harshpal Prabhu from Maharashtra on December 4 said “it’s   superiority complex” and should be checked “to stop caste-based crime.”
As this letter went viral with news reports that UP transport department has issued an order for ‘seizure of on their number plates’, Regional Transport Officer, Lucknow, Ramfer Dwivedi, told TOI that anything inscribed on the number plate is already an offence under the Motor V Act which attracts a penalty of Rs 500 first
time and Rs 1,500 on subsequent offence. “There is no law to seize the vehicle as of now,” he added. “It is not a new order as writing anything on the number plate beyond the registration number is already an offence under MV Act. The order is to reinforce the provision. The number plate should only display the number in defined font so that it is clearly visible like we have in HSRP,” said Chandra, who issued the order.
The caste is displayed to glorify it, said Prabhu’s letter adding that such glorification must be stopped as it can lead to rivalry, which can create law and order situation in the state.
After the letter was received, the transport department will check vehicles plying in the state and take action against
those flouting norms.
Additional chief secretary, Information, Navneet Sehgal, told TOI: “There is no new order of seizure of vehicles displaying
caste and name, there is already a law which operates to challan vehicles that use such number plates,” he said.
Similarly, Transport Commissioner, Dheeraj Sahu told TOI that the letter on social media in connection with the case has been misinterpreted. “There is no word on seizure of vehicles having caste and names inscribed on number plates,” he said.