Aren’t number plates in Kannada violation of Motor Vehicles Act?

Aren’t number plates in Kannada violation of Motor Vehicles Act?
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: When Kannada Development Authority (KDA) launched ‘Kannada Numerals’ week at Malleswaram Grounds on Sunday, the irony was not lost on Bangaloreans. There has been a great deal of campaigning going on in the State asking vehicle owners to use Kannada numerals on number plates, and many have responded, too.

A few years ago, then Kannada & Culture Secretary A R Chandrahasa Gupta launched a similar campaign. Soon, many Government vehicles were seen sporting Kannada number plates including the Transport Commissioner’s car.

People began to notice the total absence of English letters on number plates, and the Government’s ‘new policy’ well-suited those vehicle users, prone to rash and negligent driving. It helped many offenders to get away.

The Motor Vehicles Act is very clear that English numerals are compulsory, but when the Government itself started encouraging use of Kannada numerals at the cost of English ones, Police or RTO officials seldom showed any guts to book the law-breakers.

Kannada Anushtana Mandali (KAM) has been changing the number plates into Kannada in Bangalore for the last 11 years, and it does it free of cost.

KDA Chairman Dr Siddhalingaiah pointed that the use of Kannada numerals was steadily declining.

He also said that he would write to the Home Minister to ask police not to book vehicles with plates displaying Kannada numerals alone.

‘‘The KDA has received a large number of letters complaining of police harassment of vehicle owners using Kannada number plates. We will speak to police department and seek their coordination in using Kannada numerals on number plates,’’ he said.

Noted writer Professor C Srinivasaraju said that the Kannada numerals should be introduced in school to help future vehicle owners to use them.