Karnataka HC allows govt to decide on extending deadline for HSRP affixation

The High Court of Karnataka on Wednesday allowed the state government to decide on extending the deadline for affixing High Security Registration Plates (HSRP) in vehicles. 

A division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind passed an order modifying the earlier order passed by a vacation division bench on May 21, 2024. 

The bench directed the government to place the decision before the court.

It also extended the order restraining the government from taking any precipitative action in the matter until next hearing. 

During the hearing, Additional Advocate General Vikram Huilgol submitted that the deadline already expired on May 31, 2024, and stated that government intended to extend it until August 2024. 

He told the court that its May 21 order not only restrained the government from taking precipitative steps but also from taking any decision in the matter. 

‘First notification’

The government issued the first notification on August 17, 2023, on affixing the HSRPs and extended the deadline twice.

The latest (May 31, 2024) was based on the notification issued on February 16, 2024. 

The HSRP Manufacturers’ Association of India and others had challenged the decision of the Transport Department’s decision to entrust the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) with affixing the HSRP and authorising manufacturers to support the implementation, similar to the statutory procedure adopted for new vehicles.