CHENNAI: Unhappy over the failure of police to act against misuse of State and National emblems on vehicles, the Madras High Court ordered stringent action be taken against people, including former judges, ex-MPs/MLAs, indulging in such violations.
When a case came up for hearing before Justice SM Subramaniam on Monday, City Police submitted that cases were booked and fines were slapped for violations of the Motor Vehicle Act. J Loganathan, Additional Commissioner of Police, informed that 4,456 cases for violation of rules on headlights, 4,697 for sporting black stickers and 1,55,331 for number plate violations were booked.
However, the judge asked why no case on misuse of state and national emblems was filed. Expressing dismay, he directed the police officials to book cases on violations of the Emblem and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 against former judges, ex-MPs/MLAs if they sported the emblems on their motor vehicles.
He also stated that the negligence on the part of the Police does not augur well and noted that even criminals are evading action by using such emblems. Justice Subramaniam said appropriate orders on the matter will be passed on Wednesday.