Drivers who wish to keep the same combination of letters and numbers can now do so if they opt for a new automobile, according to an advisory issued by the Ministry of Road Transport to all state governments.

Giving in to pressures from vehicle owners the Ministry despatched circulars to all states, saying that a person could be allowed to retain the old registration number of the vehicle that he sells off to a buyer. The seller can have the registration plate with the old number stuck to the new automobile.

If the car owner chooses to scrap his vehicle, he will now have to present the records before the local regional transport office (RTO) before he is allowed to attach the old number to the new car. If the owner preferred not to scrap the car, the buyer will have to apply for a new registration number.

However, the circular reveals that enabling a car owner to retain the old registration number will be the state governments’ discretion and will not be binding. The state governments will also decide the fee that will be tacked onto vehicle owners who wish to exercise the preference to stick to their registration numbers.

Punjab and Haryana have already started allotting old numbers to new cars at the behest of owners, while Maharashtra is likely to follow suit soon. Some other states, including Karnataka, are yet to take decision in this regard.

Though the Indian Motor Vehicle Act does not prevent state governments from allotting old numbers, in most of the states old numbers are dumped once the vehicles are scrapped, an official in the Transport Ministry said.

Old is gold

* Providing old number is purely a discretion of state govt

* Ministry of Road Transport & Highways sends advisory to all states in this regard

* For scrapped vehicle, the owner will have to submit the record to the local RTO.

* In the case of sold vehicle, the buyer will have to apply for new registration