Tinted Glass in Vehicles Big Concern in Odisha

TNI Bureau: Despite Supreme Court order, tinted glasses are still found in vehicles in the states like Odisha. In the backdrop of protests over the safety of women after Delhi Gangrape, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent notices to the Odisha Chief Secretary and DGP seeking ban on use of tinted glass in vehicles as part of the initiatives to check the crime against women.

The notices were sent after a lawyer filed a PIL alleging that the Supreme Court guidelines are being violated in Odisha. The petitioner Chandranath Dani said that Odisha is violating the apex court norm, which should be explained by the authorities. He said that tinted glasses and black films still used in the vehicles of several VIPs and police officers.

The NHRC has sought the explanation from Odisha and secretary of Centre for Legal Awareness and Human Rights (CLAR) within four weeks. The apex court had banned on the use of tinted glass and black films and screens in the vehicles to prevent crimes that are occurring in the cars. Despite the strong instruction to the traffic police, the black films were not removed from the windows of the vehicles.

The apex court ruling had come after several rape cases were reported in Delhi and NCR. The court had observed that the crime against women like sexual assault, rape and gangrape are occurring in the moving vehicles, which have tinted glasses and black films. According to the central motor vehicle rules, 1989, the glasses of windows of vehicles should have a visual light transmission of 70% and for side windows it should be 50%.

Since the rape and sexual assaults cases are on the rise in many parts of the country, the removal of black films and tinted glass would be best decision to check the crime in the cities.