KOCHI: The Kerala High Court has held that the police and the enforcement officers of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) must keep an eye on vehicles carrying name boards of 'government of Kerala', subject them to thorough checking, besides verifying the identity of persons in it and initiate appropriate proceedings.
Justice Anil K Narendran observed that "many goods carriages are seen plying in the state, carrying the name board 'Government of Kerala', 'Kerala State', 'Government Vehicle', etc. to mislead the police and the MVD by giving an impression that the vehicles are owned by a government department.
"Persons in such vehicles are pretending as if they are government servants and they are misusing such name boards to escape from the checking of the vehicle and to avoid payment of toll at the toll booths," the judge said.
The HC issued the directive after noticing an incident in which the MVD has taken action against the vehicle carrying a name board 'KERALA STATE' in Munnar on February 4. The court directed the government pleader to file a report on whether the vehicle is owned by the Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation and whether it is carrying overload.
The court issued the order on a petition filed by All Kerala Truck Owners Association seeking to initiate contempt of court action against the transport commissioner for not implementing the court's order.
The court also directed to take stringent action against drivers and owners of the vehicle which is found disregarding the road safety guidelines including overloading. If the offence of carrying overload in goods carriages is detected, the duly authorised police officers and the officers of the MVD should forthwith forward the driving license of the driver of the vehicle to the licensing authority for suspending the license.
The Transport Commissioner informed the court that due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation, the enforcement officers of the MVD have shown leniency by not suspending the driving license except in grave offences. The court observed that the stand taken by the department violates the statutory provisions and the directive of the High Court.
Besides, any interference with the enforcement activities of the officers in the MVD, either by the torus/tipper drivers and owners or by the office bearers of their unions, or any threat faced by such officers from their side, requires serious consideration by the court, the order stated.