State to crack down on illegal number plates

Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy informed the Assembly on Thursday that the state government would step up the drive to remove illegal number plates from vehicles.

He was replying to a query raised by BJP MLA Suresh Kumar.

Kumar said he recently spotted a vehicle at the Vidhana Soudha, which had the title “Founder & President, National Human Rights, Anti-Corruption Wing, Delhi” printed on its registration plate.

This, Kumar said, was in gross violation of the rules and sought to know why the traffic police or the transport department had failed to take action.

On June 13, Kumar had posted pictures of the vehicle on his Facebook page.

In his reply, Reddy said leaders of all political parties, organisations such as Raitha Sangha, Rakshana Vedike, BBMP members and members of local bodies, among others,  write the name of their organisation and the position they hold on the number plate. “This is wrong,” Reddy admitted. 

The minister also said the transport department has barely 350 inspectors. Of these, half of them are engaged in office work. “I will take up the issue with the home minister. We must explore the possibility of imposing a higher penalty,” he said.

Kumar said, at the least, action should have been taken when such a vehicle was spotted at the Vidhana Soudha.