Legislators in Telangana are entitled for three tamper-proof hologram-based stickers to be displayed on their official/personal vehicles.
But, in certain cases, these stickers meant to be affixed on the vehicles of the elected representatives are found with unauthorised persons, according to sources in the police and Telangana Legislature.
The MLA/MLC stickers issue has come into focus again in wake of the accident involving a vehicle with Bodhan MLA’s sticker pasted on it yesterday in the city. The vehicle was traced to an infra company reportedly owned by a relative of Bodhan MLA.
According to sources, the Members Service Section of the Telangana Legislature is tasked to ensure that every MLA/MLC is issued three stickers per year. The sticker contains a security hologram, name of the member and the constituency he/she represents. It also has specific validity.
“Three stickers are issued with validity from April to March every year,” a source in the Telangana Legislature said. The elected representatives have been provided this facility after a request that multiple stickers be issued as they have vehicles back in the constituency also.
Murder and a ‘fake sticker’
There is an interesting story behind the then united AP Legislature taking a serious note of ‘misuse’ of vehicle stickers. It was pointed out that over a decade ago a murder was reported in Rahmathnagar area of the city. The accused, it is believed, escaped in a four-wheeler with MLA sticker pasted on it. Police, who nabbed the accused and seized the vehicle, found the sticker to be ‘fake’. Earlier, the stickers/passes were misused as they were colour photostat and used.
It was then that the then AP Legislature officials in consultation with the presiding officers decided that a fool-proof hologram based vehicle stickers be issued. Initially, the officials suggested that each sticker should contain the vehicle numbers also so that there is little scope for misuse but the elected representatives vehemently opposed the idea.
Officials maintain that the stickers are tamper-proof but expressed concern that many of them were finding their way on the vehicles used by the close aides or party leaders with the full knowledge of the elected representatives.
Special drive
A top police official said in wake of the accident, the city police is planning to launch a special drive to check all vehicles that sport stickers of the legislators, press, judiciary and others.
