The Uttar Pradesh government has initiated a campaign to ban the usage of caste-based car stickers. The decision comes after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath instructed officials to take strict action against anyone who violates traffic laws by putting caste and religious affiliation stickers on their vehicles.
Caste-based stickers or any form of message relating to caste or religion on cars, according to CM Yogi Adityanath, may distract other drivers or riders on the road and cause accidents.
Between August 11 and August 20, Gautam Budh Nagar and Ghaziabad Police started a special drive against vehicles bearing caste or religion-based stickers. According to sources, over 2,300 challans were issued for caste-based stickers on their vehicles.
According to the reports, Deputy Commissioner of Police Amit Kumar Yadav underlined the necessity of conforming to the Motor Car Act’s restrictions surrounding car number plates. He explained that if someone writes words on their vehicle that show their caste or religion, they will be fined Rs 1,000. If there is a sticker on the number plate, the punishment is Rs 5,000. According to the Motor Vehicle Act, any sticker or message other than the vehicle’s number plate number will result in a fine.
The Motor Vehicle Act sets specific guidelines for the display of stickers on licence plates. Violations of these provisions, as outlined in Section 192 of the Act, can result in fines of up to Rs 5,000 for a first-time offence. Repeat offenders face fines of up to Rs 10,000 and perhaps jail. When stickers are found on the body of a vehicle, police issue challans under Section 179 of the Motor Vehicles Act 1988.
According to reports, the UP government issued an order early this year instructing transport department officers to seize vehicles showing caste identification. The order was sent to all Regional Transport Offices in the state, instructing officers to seize cars with caste-based slogans or identities.
