In a shocking revelation, ministers and MLAs in Meghalaya are allowed to use tinted glass on their vehicles despite the Supreme Court’s directive that tinted glass is a violation of the Motor Vehicle Act.
What is more surprising is that this exemption for ministers and MLAs was issued to the State police on a “verbal order from the top”.
This was revealed by East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Sylvester Nongtnger to media persons here today.
In 2012, the Supreme Court banned the use of tinted glass, restricting visions beyond permissible limit as fixed under the Motor Vehicles Act, in vehicles.
But one of the major bugbears for members of the public, however, is seeing VIPs enjoy an exemption from the ban on heavily tinted windows. This is often justified in the interest of security. Citizens say there is arbitrariness and impartiality as the ban should be enforced on everyone, “including families of VIPs”.
Permission to use tinted windows is provided by a committee consisting of representatives of the police, Transport Department and Law Department as well as the Meghalaya Director General of Police.
Last year, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma told the Assembly that security to 103 very important persons (VIPs) in the State is as per the ‘yellow book’, a secret document of the security arrangement of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
His reply was made to a question raised by VPP MLA Ardent M Basaiawmoit who had expressed concern over the misuse of tinted glass and sirens by VIPs and their associates.
Interestingly, it was alleged that Basaiawmoit was stopped by the STP at Mawlai for using tinted glass on August 22. Sources said the MLA’s vehicle was not affixed with black films.
The SP explained that on August 22, there was random checking by Mawlai police against vehicles using black films. “Around 11:30am the police stopped a private vehicle and, naturally, the vehicle behind it was also stopped. Our officers and men there realised that the vehicle belonged to an MLA and, without further delay, the vehicle was released without checking,” said Nongtnger.
Meanwhile, the Shillong Traffic Police (STP) have imposed fines amounting to Rs 13.35 lakh in 1,788 cases on vehicles that are using tinted windows illegally.
The drive carried out by the police started in July and they have promised to continue the mission.
The police have been acting against all vehicles breaking the law, the SP assured, pointing out that 30 vehicles found to be using tinted glass illegally were government vehicles.
The ongoing drive is being carried out in all seven traffic branches in the Shillong area – Mawlai, Lumdiengjri, Laban, Sadar, Laitumkhrah, Rynjah and Madanrting.
“Most of the cases were detected from Mawlai and Madanrting,” Nongtnger informed.
He added that at some point in future the police will also carry out checks on workshops and the like to see that they do not sell dark window film.
“First we’ll carry out checks on the road and later we will check the shops as well,” Nongtnger said.
