Unauthorised use of name boards on vehicles to make them look like government vehicles in order to get special preference on roads and to skip payment at toll booths is not uncommon in some parts of the State, according to Motor Vehicles Department officials.
The most favoured names displayed along with the number plates on many non-government vehicles and those of officials are ‘Kerala State’ or ‘Government of Kerala’, in violation of the law. Such name plates, according to MVD officials, is used as a badge privilege to get special treatment that government vehicles are given, including non-payment at the toll booths.
Rules amended
The State government amended the rules in 2013 following complaints that many vehicles were exhibiting such boards, including those displaying designations of public servants, without any authority or approval of the government.
During a routine vehicle checking on the Kannur-Thalassery route on September 17, the MVD officials found an Innova car with ‘Kerala State’ name plate at Thalassery. The vehicle was found to be registered by the Ernakulam RTO in the name of the Managing Director of the Kerala State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd., Ernakulam.
“The use of that name plate on the vehicle was a clear violation as per Section 92A of the Kerala Motor Vehicle Rules,” said Anil Kumar, Motor Vehicle Inspector here who headed the vehicle checking on the route. The matter was reported to the Regional Transport Officer here for initiating action for violation of rules, he said.
As per Section 92A of the rules, no motor vehicle should exhibit any such board showing the name of the government or the designation of officers unless it is specifically permitted by the government. According to MVD officials, the Deputy Transport Commissioner has directed the Ernakulam RTO to enforce the removal of ‘Kerala State’ board exhibited on the vehicles of the Kerala State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd.
The MVD officials said even government vehicles can’t display ‘Kerala State’ board. The government vehicles are permitted to have boards displaying the name of the department concerned, they added.
