No number plate, no fuel at pumps in Rajkot, Gujarat’s fourth largest city

A notification regarding the rule pasted at a fuel station, in Rajkot. (Express photo)

On Monday (August 17), Rajkot Commissioner of Police Brajesh Kumar Jha had issued a notification under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita 2023 (BNSS), ordering petrol, diesel, and CNG stations to not sell fuel to any two-wheeler, three-wheeler, or four-wheeler vehicle that did not have a High Security Registration Plate (HSRP) that is clear, visible, and legal at both the front and the back of the vehicle.

Section 163 of the BNSS allows a magistrate to issue urgent temporary orders to prevent “obstruction, annoyance or injury to any person…, or danger to human life, health or safety or a disturbance of the public tranquillity, or a riot, or an affray”. This section is similar to Section 144 of the CrPC, 1973.

The Commissioner’s notification also applies to vehicles with missing, bent, broken, rubbed-off, muddied, or tampered HSRPs. Exceptions have been made for temporary number plates on new vehicles, those awaiting numbers of choice from the Regional Transport Office (RTO), and emergency vehicles.

In force through October 26, 2026

The police notification went into force immediately (August 17) and will remain in force for two months until October 26. Fuel retailers who violate the police diktat can be booked under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), which deals with disobedience of a lawful order issued by a public servant, as well as related sections of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1998 (MV Act).

The notification advised fuel retailers to ensure all CCTV cameras were working, and to call the 112 helpline if they faced problems with difficult customers.

Rajkot City Police’s Additional Commissioner Chaitanya Mandlik told The Indian Express, “In three recent traffic drives, we found a large number of vehicles with missing, tampered or broken registration plates. That is why it became important to bring out this order.”

Rajkot Commissioner of Police Brajesh Kumar Jha had issued a notification under Section 163 of the BNSS, ordering petrol, diesel, and CNG stations to not sell fuel to those who flout the rules. (Express photo)

Mandlik also made the point that authorised HSRPs were necessary in the interest of public safety and to detect crime. “About 10 days ago, there was a case of massive loot. When we located the vehicle used in the crime, we found it had fake registration plates,” he said.

With the major festivals of Navratri and Diwali around the corner, prevention of crime would be a priority for police, which made it necessary to enforce the order on the plates, he said.

Fuel retailers taken into confidence

The Rajkot City Police also took auto fuel retailers into confidence and held a consultation with them before issuing the notification, Mandlik said.

“We have assured the fuel retailers that this order is not to punish them but to make sure that rules are followed in the city. We consulted with them and they suggested we put in caveats for provisional number plates, which we added to the final notification,” he said.

Kalpesh Cholera, secretary of the Rajkot Petrol Diesel Dealers’ Association, told The Indian Express, “We had a consultation with police officials on August 17, and they assured us of all support in this initiative.”

There are around 55 petrol and diesel pumps in Rajkot city, which are run by public sector Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) IOCL, BPCL, and HPCL. This number does not include private dealerships and CNG stations.

What if vehicle owners attempt to dodge the police notification by refuelling outside the limits of Rajkot city?

Asked if similar steps were in the offing in the suburbs and rural areas, Rajkot Rural SP Vijay Singh Gurjar told The Indian Express that they had not considered the matter so far, but would take it up in the coming days.

Rajkot’s earlier history with enforcing rules

Notably, Rajkot city had vehemently opposed the rule that makes it mandatory for all riders of two-wheelers to wear helmets.

In September 2025, after Commissioner Brajesh Kumar Jha sought to enforce the rule strictly and fine errant riders Rs 500 for violations, all three BJP MLAs from Rajkot – Dr Darshita Shah of Rajkot (West), Ramesh Tilara of Rajkot (South), and Uday Kangad of Rajkot (East) – visited Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi to ask him to put the mandatory helmet rule and fines in abeyance.

The MLAs were in Gandhinagar for the Monsoon Session of the Legislative Assembly at the time. Section 129 of the MV Act (“Wearing of protective headgear”) makes it mandatory for every person other than a Sikh who is “driving or riding or being carried on a motorcycle of any class or description shall, while in a public place, wear protective headgear conforming to such standards as may be prescribed by the Central Government”.