TS, AP asked to file counter affidavit on enforcement

TS, AP asked to file counter affidavit on enforcement
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Highlights

The High Court at Hyderabad has directed both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh state governments to file counter affidavit in the public interest litigation (PIL) case filed seeking direction to the governments to strictly implement ‘High Security Registration Plates’ (HRSP) scheme for both new and old vehicles registered in the two States. 

Hyderabad: The High Court at Hyderabad has directed both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh state governments to file counter affidavit in the public interest litigation (PIL) case filed seeking direction to the governments to strictly implement ‘High Security Registration Plates’ (HRSP) scheme for both new and old vehicles registered in the two States.

Swatantra Rai belonging to Uttar Pradesh filed two separate PILs seeking such a direction from the court to the two governments.

Counsel for the petitioner putting forth his arguments informed the court that Rule 50 of Central Motor Vehicles Rules 1989 and a New HRSP Order make it mandatory that high security registration plates that cannot be counterfeited or tampered with must be installed on all new vehicles and old vehicles that had been registered prior to December 2, 2013 in a time-bound manner.

The counsel cited the directions given by the Supreme Court of India for strict implementation of the scheme and formation of a nationwide computer database of all vehicles plying in the country. He said special software 'Vahan' has been designed for this purpose.

The bench wondered whether the cars being used by the High Court had these high security number plates to which the counsel for Transport Department said that all new vehicles were having these number plates while the old ones did not have.

The bench also wanted the counsel for the petitioner to clarify why only one private company manufacturing these number plates has been arrayed as a Respondent in the case.

The counsel informed that there were only 20 companies that had been selected for manufacture and affixing of the plates, mostly one company to one state.

This was as per the Supreme Court guidelines in order to hold that company for any lack of quality or counterfeiting of number plates. That is why the new plates would be provided only at the Transport Authority offices.

He complained that in both the States, the old number plates were not being replaced with the new ones because the governments were not enforcing the rule despite Supreme Court orders. The bench directed both the States to file counter affidavits and posted the matter to January 15 next year.

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