Prohibition of stickers on vehicles:
The Chennai Metropolitan Traffic Police Department had announced that the government, media, lawyers and other stickers should not be affixed on private vehicles in Chennai and fines would be imposed if violated.
In this situation, this order has come into effect from May 1st and it is also worth noting that fines are being collected for vehicles with such stickers.
Exemption for doctors?
In this situation, General Secretary K Srinivasan on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Medical Association had filed a petition in the Madras High Court seeking permission for doctors to stick stickers on vehicles. In the hearing on this petition, it was reported that the doctors were not involved in any violations and that there was difficulty in making urgent trips for work. The government responded that ambulances have been exempted and there is no place in the law to exempt doctors separately.
Doctors should not be prosecuted for:
Following this, the Tamil Nadu government was ordered to respond to the petition and the case was adjourned on May 22. Meanwhile, when the case came up for hearing again today, the Madras High Court has issued an interim order not to take action against the doctors who have stickers indicating that they are doctors on their vehicles.
When is the final order?
On the other hand, the court has ordered that the sticker should be pasted only on the front and rear of the vehicle and action can be taken even if the sticker is pasted on the number plate of the vehicle or if the sticker is misused. It has also been informed that the police may take appropriate action if the doctors misuse the sticker on the vehicles or if the vehicles are in a suspicious manner and after hearing the arguments of the Medical Council, the final order will be issued.