Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 27
In pursuance of the Supreme Court directive prohibiting the use of sun control films on vehicles, Dimapur police began enforcing the order Monday, August 27. The order to this effect was circulated about two weeks ago to all vehicle owners, even including the military, para-military, police, legislators and government officials; only VIPs and VVIPs, falling under ‘Z’ and ‘Z Plus’ security cover are exempted from the purview of the directive.
Traffic police personnel led by the DySP (Traffic) had a field day stopping and removing tinted plastic from vehicles yet to comply with the order. The personnel were posted at two points – one team at the Super Market-Walford junction and another team at the Clock Tower intersection. Any kind of plastic film or stickers failing to meet the specifications of the order are prohibited.
More than 300 vehicles were stopped, checked and dark films removed. Military vehicles were also stopped. However, there was no report of any standoffs when it came to vehicles belonging to the military. When one military vehicle was stopped at the Clock Tower, the officer seated – a colonel – told the Traffic officer that they will remove the films on their own.
“There should be nothing on the windshield(s),” said the Additional Superintendent of Police, Wati Jamir, while making it clear that the police will strictly go by the Supreme Court’s order.
Contravening the order will invite prosecution as contained in section 179 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The penalty extends upto Rs. 500. The contention behind the directive is the prevention of crimes occurring in (or using) vehicles with tinted glasses.
Despite, one question that is on the minds of the public is, “How do the enforcers or people determine the ‘Visual Light Transmission (VLT)’ property of the safety glasses?” One citizen in a recent write-up has rightly pointed this out. “Instead of blatantly ordering for removal of any sun control film, the police should use a Photometer/ Luxometer to measure the opaqueness on the car windows and take action accordingly,” the writer stated. As for the enforcing agencies, they are simply following the apex Court’s decree.
The order specifies that the VLT property for the front and rear windshields should be 70 percent, while for the side windows, it is 50 percent as provided in the MV Act. According to this provision, it is construed that there is room for tinting the glasses to a certain degree of opacity, thus raising the need of a measuring device.
Most automobile manufacturers in India use this clause as a legal tool allowing them to bring out vehicles with tinted glasses, but mostly in luxury cars. For low-end, economy cars, the windshields come with no sun control tints; thus, the question of comfort and protection from the sun for users of economy cars.
Simply removing the protective films because the Court decreed so, without taking into consideration the set limits and provisions does not sound prudent.
