Raj Bhavan cites security to keep its beacon lights

Thiruvananthapuram: Governor P. Sathasivam on Sunday instructed the Raj Bhavan staff to put up number plates on Raj Bhavan vehicles. Though the transport commissioner had directed to remove beacon lights from all vehicles except the Governor’s vehicle, a decision in this regard was pending due to security reasons, sources in the Governor’s office said.

They added that the decision to use beacon lights and do away with number plate for vehicles was prevalent for many years. The present administration of the Raj Bhavan was not aware of the circumstances in which such a decision was taken. A letter from the Motor Vehicle Depa-rtment (MVD) to the Raj Bhavan had sought the removal of beacon lights from vehicles of Raj Bhavan while giving an exemption for the governor’s vehicle as it was against the provisions of the Central Motor Vehicle Act.

The Act only allowed the President of the country and Governors to use vehicles without number plate. Transport commissioner Tomin J. Thachankary, in the letter written to Raj Bhavan secretary Davendra Kumar Dhodawat, pointed out that only the Governor’s official car was allowed to operate without number plates. All other cars other than that used by the governor should have a number.

The letter pointed out that all other states have implemented number plates for cars other than that used by the governor. The letter also asked the Raj Bhavan if the government had issued any order exempting vehicles of the Raj Bhavan from number plates. This was because the MVD did not have in its possession the copy of any orders to this effect, the letter pointed out. The transport department’s action is part of an operation that was launched against the installation of state government and Central government boards illegally.