Madras High Court Advocates Association urged the Chennai traffic police to withdraw the press note with a reference that advocate stickers should not be used on private vehicles.
A clear distinction should be made between the authorized stickers issued by the Bar Council and the stickers available in local shops. Further, the statement mentioned the impugned press note and stated that it is irrelevant and contextually inapplicable. Section 198 of the Motor Vehicles Act mentioned in the press note pertains to the unauthorized moving of stationary vehicles or tampering with any part of the mechanism, which does not clearly attract the pasting of official stickers in vehicles, said the statement. On April, 27 the Chennai traffic police released a press note to restrict the unauthorized stickers on private vehicles, with a warning that cases will be booked if any private vehicle is found with unauthorized stickers.
The court’s decision came in response to a plea seeking to implement court orders and penalize those who misuse the Motor Vehicles Act by using sun control films and stickers on car windscreens, windshields, and window panels. The petitioner, S Devadoss Gandhi Wilson, informed the court that lawyers were still using the lawyer sticker on their private vehicles to seek immunity from traffic offenses.
The court made it clear that the police could take action against any vehicle that disobeyed the law, including those of advocates using stickers for immunity. The court also pointed out that the Supreme Court had already issued orders in this connection and that it was merely asking the State to follow and comply with the orders of the Supreme Court.
Retired High Court Justice Chandru also offered a different perspective, stating that the Motor Vehicles Act clearly states that no stickers other than the registration number of the vehicles should be pasted on the vehicle.
The court has asked the state to file a report within two weeks and adjourned the case. The case title is S Devadoss Gandhi Wilson v Additional Chief Secretary to Govt of TN and Others, with case number WP 13324 of 2024.
The statement released on Monday by the advocates association stated that the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry issues the stickers to the enrolled advocates after the verification of RC book and enrollment certificates, for seamless entry and parking at the Court campuses and not to seek immunity from traffic rules.
FAQ’s
- What was the Chennai traffic police’s press note about? A: The Chennai traffic police released a press note on April 27, restricting the use of unauthorized stickers on private vehicles, with a warning that cases would be booked if any private vehicle was found with unauthorized stickers.
- What was the Madras High Court Advocates Association’s response to the press note? A: The association urged the Chennai traffic police to withdraw the press note, stating that it was irrelevant and contextually inapplicable. They argued that the authorized stickers issued by the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry were not the same as unauthorized stickers available in local shops.
- What is the purpose of the authorized stickers issued by the Bar Council? A: The authorized stickers are issued to enrolled advocates after verification of their RC book and enrollment certificates, allowing them seamless entry and parking at Court campuses.
- Do the authorized stickers provide immunity from traffic rules? A: No, the authorized stickers do not provide immunity from traffic rules. They are solely for facilitating entry and parking at Court campuses.
- What does Section 198 of the Motor Vehicles Act pertain to? A: Section 198 of the Motor Vehicles Act pertains to the unauthorized moving of stationary vehicles or tampering with any part of the mechanism, which does not relate to the pasting of official stickers on vehicles.