Vehicle no. plates: SC disposes contempt pleas against states

The Supreme Court today disposed of contempt petitions filed against some states including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab for non-compliance of its earlier order to ensure high-security registration plates for all vehicles.
The apex court had in 2012 asked several states and Union Territories to ensure high security registration plates (HSRP) for all vehicles by June 15 that year or face contempt proceedings for non-compliance.
"The High Courts concerned would now ensure compliance of its 2012 verdict," a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said.
It also ordered deletion of Union of India from the list of parties after Addition Solicitor General (ASG) Maninder Singh said the states have to implement the apex court order.

The court had earlier issued notice to five states -- Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Punjab and Madhya Pradesh -- on a contempt plea alleging non-compliance of its 2012 order.
The apex court had in 2012 said that installation of HSRP was a statutory command which was not only in the interest of security, but also served a much larger public interest.

It had directed that all states to fully implement the HSRP scheme positively by April 30, 2012 for new vehicles and by June 15, 2015 for old vehicles.
The court had warned that no state will be allowed any further extension of time for implementation of this direction and failure to comply with its direction will lead to contempt proceedings against the "Secretary (Transport)/Commissioner, State Transport Authority and/or any other concerned person or authority under the Contempt of Courts Act, 1971.

The court had passed the order on a PIL petition filed by All India Anti-Terrorist Front chairman M S Bitta seeking its direction to introduce tamper-proof number plates and licences for vehicles, contending that the present system was prone to misuse by anti-social elements.