Moving away from VIP culture, vehicles to get new nos.

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 9

Old registration numbers are to give way to new ones in Haryana. Steering clear of the old vehicle registration numbers so often seen as a mark of a VIP, the Haryana Government has taken a policy decision to replace them with new four-digit numbers. As a result, old numbers like HNN will soon be a passé — six months is the time specified in the policy.

The developments took place during the hearing of an appeal filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court by the state of Haryana and other appellants against respondent Parmender Singh Khasa.

The state had mounted a challenge to observations and directions issued by a Single Judge of the High Court. Among other things, the Judge had directed the authorities to transfer the ownership of the vehicle with registration number HNN-2 in Khasa’s name in accordance with the procedure.

Appearing before the High Court Division Bench of Chief Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Arun Palli, Haryana Additional Advocate-General Deepak Balyan stated that it was virtually impossible to carry out the directions given in the impugned order by the Single Judge following the change in the policy.

Balyan stated that the new policy brought in force by the government clearly specified that old registration numbers on the vehicles were to be replaced by new registration numbers, “having same value of the same series” subject to its availability.

Balyan explained that a vehicle with registration number beginning with “HNN” would be replaced by a number beginning with “HR” and “2” would be converted into a four-digit number “0002”.

He added that the policy decision was necessitated by the fact that there was a change in the technology. New schemes such as “Vahan” with details of all vehicles had been introduced. It ran on a software based on registration numbers allotted to the vehicles. Besides, there were security concerns like high security number plates. All this might not be possible with the old registration number system, Balyan added.

He also told the court that the new numbers would replace the old without extra charges from the vehicle owners. It was also stated that the vehicles would be transferred in favour of the legal heirs with new registration number on the registered owner’s death. Disposing of the appeal, the Bench asserted that the impugned order and judgment passed by the Single Judge stood modified.

Necessitated by technology change 

• The policy decision was necessitated by a change in technology. New schemes such as ‘Vahan’ with details of all vehicles had been introduced. It ran on a software based on registration numbers allotted to the vehicles. 
• Besides, there were security concerns like high-security number plates. All these might not be possible with the old registration number system.

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