During the hearing, the High Court had declined a prayer seeking exemption for displaying words like doctors. (File)

Two weeks after the Punjab and Haryana High Court specifically banned “display of designation/ description of offices/ unauthorised use of emblems on government/ private vehicles”, the Chandigarh Administration on Thursday exempted its top bureaucrats in an order passed by the UT transport department citing “worthy” UT Adviser’s “directions”.

Asking the Chandigarh Administration to implement its directions within 72 hours, the High Court on January 24 had stated, “During the course of hearing, it was brought to the notice of the court by the learned amicus curiae that on government vehicles/private vehicles, designation/descriptions of offices/unauthorised emblems are displayed. Words like court, army, police, press etc are written on private vehicles which are not permissible under the law. Accordingly, the display of designation/description of offices/unauthorized use of emblems on government/private vehicles is banned forthwith.”

During the hearing, the High Court had declined a prayer seeking exemption for displaying words like doctors.

On January 24, the High Court had pointed out what all is exempted and ordered that “only ambulances/fire brigades, police patrols and any vehicle used for salvage are exempted”. The next hearing in the case is on Friday.

However, the UT transport department’s order issued on Thursday and circulated to all the top officers and departments concerned, including UT Police, reads, “in due compliance of Punjab and Haryana High Court order in CWP-PIL dated January 24, the worthy Adviser to the Administrator has hereby directed that following instructions may come into immediate effect – The words like government/ UT Administration can be allowed to be displayed when the occupants are performing government duties. District Magistrate, Additional District Magistrates as District Magistrates, doctors, ambulance, fire brigade can display their designation only during performance of magisterial/medical duty in emergency situation”.

The same order read, “No government or private vehicle will carry the word like court, army, airport, navy, police, press etc and no government or private vehicle will carry the designation like chairman, vice-chairman etc.”

Most of the officers of Chandigarh Administration had started implementing High Court’s orders soon after January 25, but stopped it a few days later.

Justifying the Thursday’s order, UT Adviser Manoj Parida said, “Court only banned words like press, army, chairman etc. MV Act provides only specification on display of registered number plate. We are seeking clarification from court. Chandigarh being UT will follow Government of India instructions.”

The order has been sent to Principal Secretary Home, Secretary Personnel, MC Commissioner, district magistrate, SSP (Traffic), Secretary STA, DPR and Director Health Services.