HSRP Deadline Still Uncertain: Karnataka Court Defers Hearing To November 20

The Karnataka High Court has deferred the hearing to November 20 on appeals filed by the state government seeking an extension of the deadline for installing High-Security Registration Plates (HSRP) on vehicles across the state.

The Transport Department had initially planned to start imposing fines from September 16-₹500 for first-time offenders and ₹1,000 for repeat violations. However, a department official confirmed on Sunday that no decisions have been made regarding penalties or further deadline extensions, as the issue is still pending in court. As a result, no punitive actions will be taken against vehicle owners until a final decision is reached.

Previously, Transport Department officials had suggested that a decision on the deadline would be made after the court hearing on September 18. They noted that while 52 lakh vehicles have complied with the HSRP rule, approximately 1.4 crore vehicles still do not have the required plates.

In August 2023, the department issued a notification mandating HSRP installation for vehicles registered before April 1, 2019. The initial deadline was set for November 17, 2023, but due to slow compliance, the deadline has been extended multiple times, with the current one being the fourth.

The High Court is also reviewing writ petitions challenging the Transport Department's mandate for pre-April 2019 vehicles to have HSRPs. The HSRP Manufacturers' Association of India has filed an appeal against the government's directive.

The association argues that all manufacturers with a valid Type Approval Certificate should be allowed to install HSRPs. They claim that limiting installation to select manufacturers unfairly benefits "influential" HSRP providers who have exclusive agreements with automobile companies and dealers for new vehicle HSRPs.