KANNUR: When commoners are levied hefty fines for traffic violations, many government vehicles enjoy the luxury of flouting certain rules.

The Supreme Court in April 2012 had prohibited the use of tinted glass or sun films on windshields and windows of vehicles that restricted vision beyond the permissible limits fixed under the Motor Vehicles Act 1989. The prohibited items also include curtains and different kinds of net.

But many official vehicles of the State government have been throwing all such restrictions to the wind. Many luxury cars of various corporations and academy are running with fully covered insides. Instead of sun films, these vehicles sometimes use thick curtains that don’t allow even sunlight to enter the vehicle.

The allegation is that the Motor Vehicle department and police are turning a blind eye to these violations. Earlier, as per the old rules, the police used to charge Rs 500 as fine and used to tear off tinted films from cars.

But, now the rule has changed and the fine is whopping Rs 2000.