Police officials begin SEIZING and fining cars with ‘caste stickers’

Uttar Pradesh Additional Transport Commissioner Mukesh Chandra notified all the Regional Transport Officers of the state about a new order on December 24th. The order has now banned any kind of caste stickers on the vehicles and direction to seize the vehicle if found guilty. The Uttar Pradesh Police has started implementing the order and has started issuing challans and seizing vehicles too.

The first car under the new rule is booked in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Ashish Saxena driving his vehicle with “Saxena Ji” written on the rear windscreen. The cops booked the person under section 177 of the Motor Vehicle act. The cops have directions to seize the vehicles flouting the rules but as per the UP Police, there is no law to seize the vehicles. The police also say that there is a fine of Rs 500 for the first time offenders and if the violation is repeated, Rs 1,5000 fine will be imposed.

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The new rule comes after Harshpal Prabhu from Maharashtra wrote to the Prime Minister Office on the same matter. He wrote to the PMO that such display of caste on the car should be checked to sop caste-based crime. As the letter became viral, the UP transport department issued the order. No other state has started such a drive yet. However, there is a chance that other states will follow the same in the coming times.

Not the first time

UP Police have done such drives in the past too. Last year, police teams were spread across Noida and Greater Noida region to catch such vehicles. Any car or motorcycle with caste, religion or government post displayed on the windows and number plates were fined according to the law. More than 250 vehicles were fined within a day and about 1,500 challans were issued in the special two-day drive in these areas.

The law or rule is already in the MV Act. However, the police forces of the states do not act on such violations at all. It was the first time in years that a challan was issued for displaying caste on the windscreen of the vehicle. Noida police said last year that such writing and display of caste create a feeling of insecurity among the motorists and create a nuisance. That is why the special drive took place last year.