Penalised for number plate in Bengaluru? This is what the rule says

Have you ever been penalised unjustly by traffic police for not having the high-security number plates? The transport department has clarified that the High Security Registration Plates are not mandatory for vehicles that were registered prior to April 2019.

As more and more riders and two-wheeler owners are reporting that they have been stopped by Bengaluru's traffic police and penalised unjustly, the transport department has come forward and clarified that High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) are only mandatory for vehicles registered after April 1, 2019 in Karnataka.

As citizens complained they have been fined unjustly for faulty number plates, the transport department clarified that High security number plates are mandatory only for vehicles registered after April 2019.

Traffic police cannot insist on HSRP for old vehicles. “Number plates have to be installed as per the specification of the motor vehicles rules. As per the existing rules, a penalty can be imposed against motorists for using defective number plates,” Transport Commissioner N. Shivakumar has stated.

What are High Security Registration Plates (HSRP)?

High-security number plates are those that are made up of aluminium and are fixed onto the vehicle using two non-reusable snap-on locks. The plate has a hot-stamped hologram of the Ashoka Chakra in blue colour on the top left corner and a 10-digit permanent identification number (PIN) laser branded on the bottom left corner.

HSRP also has a hot-stamped film applied on the numerals and alphabets, which has ‘INDIA’ inscribed at a 45-degree angle. This plate is also electronically linked to the vehicle where it is installed.

Why are HSRPs useful?

HSRPs have been made mandatory because they will help in tracking a stolen vehicle. Old number plates came with number stickers which were easy to tamper with and aided in theft. One could remove the stickers and change the vehicle identification number easily.

HSRP’s are installed by select registered automobile dealers and private vendors which are approved by the state. With HSRPs, chances of counterfeit become impossible.

Reports said over 1.75 crore vehicles were registered in the state prior to April 2019. Several motorists have therefore been complaining that the traffic police stop vehicles randomly and insist that the old vehicle number plates are replaced with HSRPs. Some even took to social media and said they have been fined for having ‘faulty number plates’.

A tweet by the handle Karthik Reddy said that the Bengaluru Traffic Management Centre has received about 150 complaints from motorists for violations they did not commit.

As similar complaints keep pouring in, the Transport Department and city traffic police division spoke to The Hindu and said that HSRPs are not mandatory for vehicles that were registered prior to April 2019.

Transport Commissioner N. Shivakumar told reporters that HSRP is not mandatory for old vehicles. It has come into effect only from April 2019 and only licenced vendors can fix the registration plates. "Earlier, we had floated a tender to identify vendors for supply and installation of the HSRP. However, the process was stalled due to legal issues. Now, the Karnataka Government has to decide on the issue,” he told media.