It’s now black & white

Chief Justice of Karnataka P D Dinakaran's Honda Civic had a number plate that transport officials said was improper, but it has now been changed.

It's now black & white

Chief Justice of Karnataka P D Dinakaran's Honda Civic had a number plate that transport officials said was improper, but it has now been changed.

MiD DAY had reported on June 29 that transport officials were complaining that the top judge's car was using colours he wasn't authorised to use.

Citing the report, advocates in Chennai submitted a petition to the Supreme Court through the Forum for Judicial Accountability, while advocates in Bangalore raised the issue at their bar meetings. All that has now had an impact.

"They changed the number plate to the customary black on white after lawyers took up the issue seriously," said a senior advocate, on condition of anonymity.

Rules

Senior transport officials had said that the colourful number plate on the black car KA 03 GA 5767 violated the Central Motor Vehicle Act.

The 'improper' number plate had a red background with letters embossed in gold. The law lays down the use of black letters on white for private cars, and black letters on yellow for tourist vehicles.

Foreign consulate vehicles are prescribed white letters on blue, while army vehicles have a unique numbering system.

"The issue was raised at bar association meetings in Bangalore called in the wake of charges of misuse of power against the Chief Justice. The new number plate is in accordance with the law," added the advocate.

Former judge M F Saldanha had earlier suggested the coloured number plate might have been a mistake.

Exception
The President of India and state governors are the only ones whose official cars bear the national emblem in gold, embossed on red plates without a number.