Tamil Nadu man faces issues for ‘Grandson of MLA’ number plate on Royal Enfield Himalayan

A picture has gone viral on the internet in which we can see a young man sitting on a bike. The number plate of the motorcycle reads “Grandson of Nagercoil MLA MR Gandhi”. The picture triggered a lot of people online. People are criticizing and writing their opinions on various different social media platforms.

What comes as a surprise though is that Mr. Gandhi opted to stay unmarried and dedicate his life to party work. So, how come the young man is claiming to be the grandson of Mr. Gandhi. Well, the 76-year old MLA has a driver named Kannan who has been with Mr. Gandhi even before he became an MLA. He has been with the family through ups and downs and has now become a close aide to Mr. Gandhi.

Now, the person who was riding the motorcycle is the son of Kannan, his name is Amrish. According to the report, he has been spotted riding around the city with the number plate on which “Grandson of Nagercoil MLA MR Gandhi” is written.

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Mr. Gandhi has a strong affection for Kannan and his family. When BJP was asked about the number plate, they said that the number plate shows gratitude and affection of Amrish towards Mr. Gandhi. The MLA has been contesting elections since 1980 and this is the first time that Mr. Gandhi has entered the assembly as a member of the Nagercoil constituency. In 2021, he won the state assembly election in Tamil Nadu. We still do not know whether Amrish has removed the number plate and restored the original one or not.

Illegal to use such number plates

It is illegal by law to modify a number plate or to use a fancy number plate. There is a clear set of instructions given about the font size, colour and other elements that should be on the number plate. A person is not supposed to change the number plate because they are unique to a particular vehicle. They are linked to the vehicle’s chassis number and engine number. They also help in tracking the vehicle in case of theft or crime.

Now, the government has introduced HSRP number plates which stands for High-Security Registration Plate. It comes with a chromium-based stamp, a unique laser code and a non-removable snap-on lock so the number plate cannot be reused or replaced in case someone tries to steal it. Moreover, not everyone is authorised to install an HSRP number plate. You would have to search for authorised dealers to get yours installed. Usually, new cars come with an HSRP number plate from the factory.

The law also states that the person cannot put any kind of sticker on the number plate because that can hamper the readability of the number plate. The sticker might cover the chromium stamp or the laser code.

Having said that, modified number plates are quite common in some parts of India. Some states have mandated HSRP number plates and are taking strict action against those who are still not using HSRps. Cops are also taking action against people who are putting religious and caste stickers on their vehicles.

Via News18

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