Kerala Governor Pays Fine For Over-Speeding

Kerala Governor’s car cross speed limit, pays fine.

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor P Sathasivam has set a `fine’ example by paying a fine for over-speeding. He recently directed his staff to remit a fine of Rs 400 with the motor vehicles department (MVD) after he got a ticket when his official vehicle crossed the prescribed speed limit on April 7.

Though the governor was not travelling in the car at that time, he took responsibility as the vehicle belonged to the Raj Bhavan.

The violation happened on a stretch here when his Mercedes Benz E-250 registered in the name of secretary to the governor of Kerala, crossed the prescribed speed limit of 55 km/hr. A ticket intimating the violation and fine – was sent to the Raj Bhavan last week. It is learned that the governor promptly instructed his staff to abide by the law.

When the governor is not using the vehicle, Raj Bhavan employees cover the car’s national emblem and take it out for refuelling and other maintenance works. If the emblem was visible, a ticket may not have been sent.

Sathasivan was the 40^th Chief Justice of India before he took over as the Governor.

In another instance, a sitting judge of the high court, whose official vehicle exceeded the speed limit, remitted the fine without making excuses, on the same stretch.

The recently installed high resolution speed-detection cameras along the stretch – which is one of the busiest stretches in the capital – has been witnessing almost 3,000 speed-limit violations every day.

Politicians who wear their VIP tag on their sleeve should learn a lesson or two from Governor Sathasivam. In north India, especially in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, even low-level panchayat officials or their relatives use violence to avoid paying toll. They care two hoots for speeding tickets.