'No Action Being Taken': Kerala High Court Seeks Response From Transport Authorities, Union Road Ministry On Illegal Vehicle Modifications
Recent trend is that even police lights are being fitted on top of vehicles, Court remarked.
The Kerala High Court on Tuesday (July 14) sought the response of the Transport Commissioner as well as the officer concerned in the Union Ministry of Road Transport regarding the issue of unauthorised light fittings and other modifications on vehicles.
The Division Bench of Justice Anil K. Narendran and Justice Muralee Krishna S. today viewed in open court certain video clips showing vehicles fitted with strobe lights—permitted only for emergency service vehicles—as well as other unauthorised fittings.
"No action is being taken...Recent trend is that even police lights are being fitted on top of vehicles and vloggers are posting videos also...This is affecting the safety, including that of the pedestrians...These are intended for emergency vehicles...these are not permitted in our country, strobe lights," the Court orally remarked.
The development comes in two suo motu initiated petitions highlighting safety issues caused by unauthorised vehicle modifications and fittings.
In one of the videos, a diesel car had a petrol tank fitted inside its trunk and while moving, flame was coming out of the exhaust. In another, there were tri-colour bright lights fitted.
The Court orally criticised that no action was taken despite a recent fatal accident that took the lives of 4 to 5 persons:
"These type of vehicles are being used here...Recently there was an accident in Calicut, 4 or 5 persons died. Newspaper report says that the vehicle coming in the opposite direction did not dim the lights. 4 persons died...if it is not found, even insurance claims would not be received. As a matter of fact, that accident was on account of some mischief committed by another driver...Only persons riding scooters or cycles behind this will know the difficulty of this...If these type of vehicles come from the front, can anything be done? At least when an accident occurred day before yesterday, when there are allegations, you should have conducted an enquiry...Getting insurance claim is not the solution."
It then directed the Registry to save a copy of these videos on pendrive and CD. Further, direction was made to furnish copies of the videos to the Special Government Pleader and Senior Panel Counsel representing the Union Government.
The Government Pleader and senior panel counsel were directed to take instructions respectively from the Transport Commissioner and the officer concerned in the Ministry of Road Transport regarding the issue and the solution for the same.
Case No: WP(C) 25158/2024 and WP(C) No. 25129 of 2024
Case Title: Suo Motu v. Union of India and Ors. and connected case