Kerala HC orders action against misuse of govt emblems, boards

A division bench said that many such vehicles were plying on the roads possibly with the intention of avoiding inspections and tolls and said such tendencies should be curbed at any cost.

The Kerala high court has called for strict action against the unauthorised use of national and state emblems and government boards on vehicles, according to news portal Bar and Bench.

The court has taken up the complaint suo motu and directed the police, motor vehicles department and other enforcement agencies to take strict action against them under Section 171 of the Indian Penal Code. (Representational Photo)

A division bench of justice Anil K Narendran and justice P G Ajith Kumar said in a judgement dated October 28 that many such vehicles were plying on the roads possibly with the intention of avoiding inspections and tolls and said such tendencies should be curbed at any cost.

“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 vehicles by police and enforcement officers of the motor vehicles department and to avoid payment of toll at the toll booths and also the restrictions regarding parking or entry of vehicles,” said the court.

The bench noted that the vehicles carrying district collectors, law secretary and officers of the income tax department were also using the national or state emblems in violation of the State Emblem of India (Regulation of Use) Rules, 2007, reported the portal.

The court has taken up the complaint suo motu and directed the police, motor vehicles department and other enforcement agencies to take strict action against them under Section 171 of the Indian Penal Code.

“As per Section 171, whoever, not belonging to a certain class of public servants, wears any garb or carries any token resembling any garb or token used by that class of public servants, with the intention that it may be believed, or with the knowledge that it is likely to be believed, that he belongs to that class of public servants, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, or with both,” said the order.