Vehicles converted to resemble election symbol, Raj Raths; RTO to contact election office.
The city unit of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) may attract action from the election commission for “altering vehicles without permission of the regional transport officer (RTO)”. The party has created life-size replicas of its election symbol, the railway engine. On Monday, it altered two vehicles, now known as Raj Rath.
Regional transport officer for Pune division, Arun Yeola told DNA on Monday, “Alterations in private vehicle are not allowed. It is allowed for transport vehicles, but for that too, RTO permission is required. According to the Maharashtra Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, making alterations in vehicles without permission of the RTO is
illegal.”
The MNS on Monday inaugurated two vans, known as Raj Rath. The Raj Raths have 2 screens on which speeches of MNS president, Raj Thackeray will be shown. The Raj Rath has the MNS symbol and flags and will make the rounds of the city. Rallies with vehicles converted to resemble railway engines are being carried out in parts of the city.
Yeola said, “The MNS has not taken the mandatory permission from the RTO to alter vehicles to convert them to life-size replicas of the party election symbol, the railway engine or the Raj Rath.”
He added, “We will take up this issue with the election office as we need to know whether they have granted any permission to the MNS.”
However, when contacted, head of the election cell for the PMC, Pravin Ashtikar said, “The RTO has the authority to give permission for making changes in the vehicles which are to be used in the campaign. The election office has nothing to do with it.”
MNS city unit vice-president, Ajay Shinde said, “We have inaugurated the Raj Rath on Monday, but we have not yet moved it anywhere. We will take proper permission for the Raj Rath and even for the railway engines that are being used for the campaign.”
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