Protest is brewing over the suspension of two officials of the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) who faced disciplinary action for slapping fine on a vehicle for illegal alterations.

Two Assistant Motor Vehicle Inspectors under the Adoor Sub Regional Transport Office, Laiju B and Shameer M, were placed under suspension on August 6 after they had booked a vehicle in Pathanamthitta citing unauthorised modifications.

The suspension order issued by the Transport Commissioner Nagaraju Chakilam noted that the inspectors didn't exerise caution or apply discretion since the vehicle which was fined was being used for flood-relief operations. The order blamed the officials for causing disrepute to the state government.

The MVD Gazetted Officers Association on Friday condemned the move and called for their reinstatement. According to the officials, the vehicle owner who was fined had been a repeated offender and that records prove unpaid challans against him.

The incident occurred on August 5, when the MVD officials fined a vehicle parked near Adoor hospital junction for unauthorised light fittings. According to a statement issued by the association, the officers issued a challan for the illegal modifications and imposed an additional fine after finding that the vehicle’s pollution certificate had expired.

In its statement, the association said the vehicle owner had also failed to renew the pollution under control (PUC) certificate. The fine was imposed after the officers reduced the applicable penalty, it said. The violations against the vehicle were earlier reported on March 11, 2024 and April 11, 2026. During the inspection on August 5, six unauthorised lights of high luminance were spotted and four tyres protruded beyond permissible limits. The officials could't detect any relief materials in the vehicle.

While the officials could have imposed separate fines for each offence, the association said the matter was settled with a single fine of ₹5,000. Despite their efforts to avoid escalating the matter, the officials still faced disciplinary action, it added.

Contrary to the allegations, the officers said there were no indications that the vehicle was being used for flood relief operations when the fine was imposed.

The association further said the officials had acted within the framework prescribed by the Motor Vehicles Department, the government, the Transport Commissioner and the Kerala High Court.

In 2023, the MVD, quoting the HC directive, directed the officials to take stringent action against use of altered vehicles in a public place, including vehicles brought through ‘Carnet’, which had undergone extensive modifications and alterations and are fitted with unauthorised lights and light-signalling devices flouting the safety standards, unauthorised exhaust systememitting fumes, thick smoke and loud sound violating the standards prescribed in relation to road safety, control of noise and air-pollution,after-market suspension/air suspension, wide tyres protruding out of wheel arches/mudguards, etc.. posing potential threat to the safety of its passengers and other road users.
The Association has urged the Transport Minister and other authorities concerned to revoke the suspension and reinstate the officials, maintaining that there had been no lapses in their conduct.