Thiruvananthapuram: Vehicles seized for violating lockdown norms will be handed over back to its respective owners from Monday. More than 27,300 vehicles were seized in the state during lockdown.
The vehicles were seized under the Disease Control Ordinance and the Kerala Police Act. DGP Loknath Behra has sought legal advice on avoiding vehicle seizures and levying only fines. With the increase in the number of vehicles at the police stations, the police gave a thought of charging only fines.
The maximum fine will be up to Rs 10,000. However there are some legal obstacles for executing the plan. According to the ordinance, the penalty should be paid after giving the vehicles in the court. The DGP has sought legal advice on how to ease this condition.
The department has been instructed to appoint an officer for each district to ensure the payment of penalty from people and that officer will decide upon the fine.
Vehicles that have been fined are not allowed to come out again till the lockdown ends. If the vehicle is seized again, a case will be filed under non-bailable offence.
