Delhi High Court closes plea concerning affixation of high-security registration plates

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday closed the proceedings on a plea concerning the affixation of high-security registration plates (HSRP) on vehicles here and said that if a person is yet to comply was free to submit a representation to the transport department for "sympathetic consideration for extension of time".

The plea had alleged that the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) were overcharging for the colour coded fuel stickers and HSRP that have been made mandatory for vehicles in the national capital, and hence the decision should be kept on hold. The court noted that the public interest litigation to keep such affixation on hold was filed in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic and no further orders were now required to be passed on the issue. "At present there is no such situation and resultantly no further orders are required to be passed.

However, in case any member of the public who has not been able to comply with the statutory provision ... shall certainly be free to submit a representation for sympathetic consideration for extension of time from the transport department," said a bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad. The court noted that the Delhi government was implementing a Supreme Court order as well as the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and rules for ensuring (HSRP) in various categories of motor vehicles.

It is not in dispute that the statute governing the plea has not been challenged and Delhi government does not have any choice but to implement the order of the top court, it added. Delhi government counsel said that if any representation expressing any difficulty in the matter of affixing HSRP on the vehicle is received from a "real aggrieved party", it shall be looked into sympathetically considering the covid pandemic at the relevant time.

The plea by the President of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee, Anil Kumar had alleged that the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) were overcharging for the colour coded fuel stickers and HSRP that have been made mandatory for vehicles in the national capital and the decision should be kept on hold as it was creating "fear psychosis in the minds of the people who are scrambling to get the stickers and HSRP so that they would not have to face the fine". The petition had thus sought a direction to the Delhi government to ensure only the notified fee of Rs 12.15 is charged for the stickers and the excess amount collected from vehicle owners be refunded. It had also sought that the challan drive by Delhi government be kept on hold till there is adequate infrastructure for the stickers and HSRPs.