As illegal number plates remain common, Pune residents question enforcement

Weeks before the June 30 deadline to switch to High-Security Registration Plates (HSRPs), customised and non-standard number plates remain a common sight on Pune’s roads, prompting residents to question the lack of enforcement against a violation that can hamper accident and crime investigations.

From vehicles displaying names instead of registration numbers to plates with stylised fonts, LED borders and barely visible state codes, illegal number plates continue to be used by owners across Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad despite rules mandating standardised, machine-readable registration plates.

Residents allege that authorities have largely turned a blind eye to the practice, even as traffic cameras routinely issue e-challans for other violations. They argue that unreadable number plates not only flout the law but also undermine road safety and make it difficult for police to identify vehicles involved in accidents or crimes.

In May, the Maharashtra Government extended the deadline for installing HSRP on vehicles registered before April 1, 2019, till June 30, 2026.

Transport authorities will launch special road inspection drives from July 1, 2026, to check compliance. Vehicles found without HSRP plates or proof of appointment booking may face action under the Motor Vehicles Act, including a compounding fee of up to Rs 1,000.

‘Rules should be the same for everyone’

For residents who have complied with the HSRP mandate and routinely receive e-challans for minor traffic violations, the apparent lack of action against vehicles with illegal number plates has become a source of frustration.

“People get e-challans for minor violations like broken or missing mirrors. But I see these vehicles every day with no proper plates, sometimes just a name written on them, dark black tinted glasses and nothing happens to them,” said Rahul Jadhav, a resident of Wakad.

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Residents also allege that vehicles displaying political party symbols, ‘Nagarsewak’ stickers and other markers of political affiliation are among the most frequent violators.

“When the vehicle belongs to a political party worker or has a party symbol on it, I’ve often witnessed at signal crossings that the traffic cop looks the other way. When it is a common citizen, they get a challan immediately,” said Jadhav.

“The rule should be the same for everyone – if they can send a challan through a camera, they can certainly act against these vehicles too,” he added.

Akshay Killedar, a resident of Narayan Peth, raised a more urgent concern. “This is not just about rules and fines. Road rage incidents are increasing in Pune. When a vehicle with a fancy or missing plate is involved in an accident, burglary or an assault and drives away, how will the police trace it? If the number is unreadable on a CCTV feed, the case goes nowhere. These plates are a genuine public safety threat,” he said.

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Killedar added that special enforcement drives are long overdue. “They should not just fine them once and let them go. If the same vehicle is found repeatedly with a non-standard plate, it should be seized. Only then will people take it seriously.”

What the law says

The HSRP system was introduced to enable vehicles to be identified by law enforcement, surveillance cameras, and automated traffic management systems.

Under Rule 50 of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, every vehicle registered in India is required to display a High-Security Registration Plate, a tamper-proof, machine-readable plate with a standardised font, size, and colour scheme.

These plates must be affixed to both the front and the rear of the vehicle to enable easy identification by law enforcement agencies and automated traffic management systems.

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Replacing or modifying HSRP with customised, ‘fancy’ plates with designer fonts, oversized numerals, glowing LED borders, or personalised names is illegal. Despite this, a large number of vehicles in Pune continue to sport non-compliant plates, often with impunity.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Sandip Khadse, Deputy Regional Transport Officer, Pune, acknowledged that non-standard number plates remain a concern and said enforcement action would be stepped up.

“We are planning to conduct special drives in the city, including near college areas, shortly. All vehicles found violating the rules will be fined. The fine for such number plates ranges from Rs 200 to Rs 1,000, and sometimes more depending on the nature of the violation,” said Khadse.

He also urged all vehicle owners to complete the transition to High-Security Registration Plates before the June 30 deadline.