Mysuru / Bengaluru: The Transport Department has warned motorists of action under the Motor Vehicles Act if their vehicles continue to have illegal, illegible and flamboyant vehicle registration number plates after one week.

Unauthorised use of Government emblems in vehicles or using number plates in different fonts than those prescribed in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules will also draw action. In a notification issued on Friday, the Department has stated that the rule will be implemented across Karnataka and after the deadline, drives will be launched to crackdown on the vehicles that sport such designer number plates. 

“Many vehicle owners are violating rules. They mark ‘Karnataka’ instead of ‘KA’, write decorative letters in various colours and styles, exhibit different pictures on number plates, paint or paste green, red colour bands on the upper and lower part of number plates,” read a statement issued by Karnataka Transport Commissioner N. Shivakumar. 

“The size of registration mark and numerals to be displayed on number plates should be as per Central Motor Vehicles Rules. The letter of the registration mark should be in English and figures in Arabic numerals,” he said. 

Some of the plates in question had the numbers inscribed on the license plates in vernacular or written in fancy fonts that would make the digits appear like words. 

Under provisions of the Central Motor Vehicles Act, using fancy number plates is a punishable offence, requiring payment of fine. Vendors of car number plates have also been asked not to make such license boards. 

RTO officials in Mysuru told Star of Mysore that the notification has reached the RTO East and West yesterday and they would step up the drive to remove illegal number plates from vehicles. 

Police too have stated that apart from the usual traffic-related offences such as drunken driving or rash driving, people using fancy number plates have also been a constant headache for them.

 “We usually spot vehicles that read ‘Founder President, National Human Rights, Anti-Corruption Wing’ printed on some registration plates. Also, the number plates are altered for the numbers to look like words. For example, 8055 is altered as BOSS. Some registration numbers like 007 will have a gun next to it. This is in gross violation of the rules,” officials said.