Transport secretaries of Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh and J&K were issued notices by the Supreme Court seeking their response on why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for failure to implement its order on tamper-proof high security number plates and licences for vehicles.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia on Tuesday asked them to file their reply within a week.

It also directed all the states, which have not implemented the scheme, to complete the process of providing high security number plates and licences for vehicles within eight weeks.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by Chairman of All-India Anti-Terrorist Front M S Bitta seeking the court’s direction to introduce tamper-proof number plates and licences for vehicles, contending that the present system is prone to misuse by anti-social elements.

He had contended that despite repeated orders from the apex court, the state governments have failed to introduce the scheme.

Agreeing with the petitioner, the court had said states should take immediate steps to implement the scheme.

The Centre had issued notification regarding this in 2001 and the apex court in its various orders have repeatedly asked the authorities to implement the scheme but they have failed.

The court had earlier on 7th April issued contempt notices against Delhi, Punjab and Uttar Pradesh governments for not implementing its order in this regard.