Chennai: The state government assured the Madras high court on Friday that it would look into the matter relating to the alleged manufacture, sale and use of illegal and fake High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) and take action within one month. (The plates are affixed on the front and rear side of motor vehicles.) Recording the assurance given by government pleader S.T.S. Moorthy, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice M. Sathyanarayanan disposed of a public interest litigation filed by Capt. S.K. Santosh, a retired Army officer, which sought a direction to state government to implement the HSRP scheme and take action against the manufacture, sale and use of illegal and fake registration plates.
According to the petitioner, in 2011 the Central government introduced the scheme by amending the Motor Vehicle Rules in order to curb the increasing menace of vehicle thefts and their use in the commission of crimes, and to ensure the safety and security of the general public. As per the scheme, the registration plate shall be a reflective solid aluminum plate suitable for hot stamping, bear the letters ‘IND’ in blue colour along with a chromium based hologram which shall also be hot stamped., bear a permanent consecutive identification number of minimum 7 digits to be laser branded into the plate and be fastened on the front and rear with a non-removable/non-reusable snap-lock fitting system at the premises of the registering authority.
After several round of litigation, the Supreme Court mandated all state governments to implement the scheme by April 30, 2012, for new vehicles and June 15, 2012, for old vehicles. But in TN, the scheme was not implemented till date. However, fake HSRPs were manufactured, sold and used in the state, he added.
The government pleader submitted that it had not been possible to implement the amendments as the tender process that had been called for, was before this court.The bench listed the matter for compliance on January 22.
