Tints on Car Windows Banned by Supreme Court w.e.f. 4th May

Supreme Court has recently banned black films or any amount of tint on the windows of the cars even if the percentage of tint is within permissible limits of 50% transparency on the side glasses and 70% transparency on the front and rear windows. The only exceptions to this scenario are the cars that have been rendered tinted windows by the car manufacturers themselves. According to the judgment made by the court sitting at the apex position of the judiciary system the safety glasses, side windows and front and rear windscreens of all cars throughout India would not bear black films of any visual light transmission (VLT) percentage or any other material. The detailed directions that fall under this judgment would be enforced and come into operation from 4^th May 2012. The traffic police have been decreed by the Supreme Court to launch a drive that would be directed towards removing the films from Friday onwards.

The Joint Commissioner of traffic police, Satyendra Garg has mentioned that the apex court has commanded that any vehicle spotted with any amount of tint on the windows would be immediately prosecuted. Challans will be issued and tinted films will be taken off ubiquitously regardless of the percentage of tint in the films, he added. Mr. Garg also stated that in case the owner shows any signs of resistance, his/her car will be immediately confiscated. The drive will commence on the morning of 4^th May and will involve 50 traffic police officers that will be posted across the capital city of New Delhi to draw rein on the vehicles wearing tints on the windows. Mr. Garg indicated that the initial practice of allowing the offending driver to remove the tinted film and report to the area traffic within 72 hours will not be followed anymore and the police would exhibit no such tolerance.

A senior traffic officer stated that the offenders are generally the same; they try to show that they are not affected by anything and Delhiites are absolutely inconsiderate of rules. In 2011, around 45,649 vehicles were charged for tinted windows and in 2012 till 15^th April, 9,279 vehicles have already been prosecuted for the same. A drive was started on March 27 and till April 26 around 2,064 drivers were booked for tints, out of which around 999 owners were forced to take off the tints from the screen then and there.   On the subject of people not taking this seriously Mr. Garg mentioned that since the fine charged is just Rs. 100, people are not deterred to take off the tinted films as they cost a lot more than the fine, the cost of tints starts from Rs. 700 and goes up to Rs. 14,000. In order to discourage people from breaking rules stricter actions need to be taken, he added. These actions are important as tinted window glasses are considered as conducive to crimes especially the ones related to women’s security.