Don’t create panic, give people time — High Court of Delhi gave this message to the AAP Govt on Thursday on the issue of colour-coded stickers and high-security registration plates (HSRP).
A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul & Justice Talwant Singh, though declining to stay the levy of heavy fines by Delhi’s transport department, asked the Govt to consider giving more time & putting fines on hold.
“This is only causing harassment to everyone as many are clueless about it...don’t create panic, give people time to apply & obtain, do it in batches,” the bench advised the Govt before it starts fining them Rs 5,500 for the violations.
The Court said even the announcement that colour-coded fuel stickers & high security numberplates are mandatory, made by Delhi Govt in Aug 2020 “was not the ideal time”, given the uncertainty over lockdown & the raging pandemic. The judges said even they were clueless about the requirement of the stickers & asked additional standing counsel Satyakam to come with “detailed instructions” regarding steps taken by Delhi Govt to publicise the stickers & HSRP.
The Court said it would like to know who decided to outsource the sale of stickers & HSRP to private contractors, who fixed the rates for the same & who fixed the fine amount. It pointed out that even the vehicles of the high court lacked these stickers & wondered whether they would be fined too. Justice Singh, referring to his own personal experience with regard to the stickers, said he came to know about it from news reports of the challan drive & he booked the stickers for two of his vehicles with much difficulty as the website for the same kept crashing.
The Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation by the president of the Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC), Anil Kumar, alleging that the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) were overcharging for the colour-coded fuel stickers & HSRP that have been made mandatory for vehicles in the national capital. Lawyer Sunil Fernandes, appearing for Kumar, attacked the AAP Govt’s decision to levy steep fines, saying it should keep its challan drive on hold as the same has created a fear psychosis in the minds of the people who are scrambling to get the stickers & HSRP so that they would not have to face the fine.
Satyakam, during the hearing, told the bench that the Govt of Delhi has nothing to do with fixing the rate of the stickers & HSRP & it was only concerned with implementing the Supreme Court directions that all vehicles should have HSRP & the stickers.
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