Dr Sarath Obeysekera

A Radio Frequency Identification system to be introduced to new number plates will help police to keep close tabs on vehicle movements.
The new number plates will be introduced next year, Motor Traffic Commissioner General Jagath Chandrasiri told the Sunday Times. By Damith Wickremasekara

Is this Infringement of fundamental rights?? Sri Lankan Human rights lawyers will have a field day?

Government is in the process of issuing E-National Identity Cards ( NIC)  soon, where all the information such as driving licence .blood group ,driving licence number ,next of kin , address .tax files ,( income ) ,etc. etc. .Now State Apparatchik will know where someone’s  car has gone during the day and mileage done .Husbands  cannot   go to see their  mistress  and wives cannot drivee to see the paramours .Buddhist monks cannot got for evening parties or meet political affiliates . (Politicians cannot stealthily visit their opposition parties to discuss underhand deals) or private bus owners use unauthorised routes to collect passengers on the sly?

Even UK does not have that facility and I am not sure about USA which is de facto military state has such system? Even Russia does not have such facilities to check the car number plate unless you have camera which read the number plates and automatically connect with the system to check in the DVLA (Driving and Vehicle Registration Agency’s data base.

I am sure that that someone is bright enough will go to courts and claim that government is violating Fundamental Rights and obtain an Injunction.

Many people are not aware of the fact that, introduction of number plates printed in a printing  shop brought in by a foreigner who introduced it to the  a Minister of Transport at that time and promised to pay him few rupees per number plate ?( just like the case of Cement Bagging Factory in the port in the midst of a controversial claim that someone was getting few rupees per bag when it leave the port or even the case of flour milling factory in Trinco there as some allegation of life time payments ) .

We need an efficient high-tech police force like in Europe with access to CCTV system on strategic locations along the roads and a broadband connected computer system in the police vehicle to check the details of culprits when they notice a violation.

Such system where you identify the car and note where they have been roaming around, people can get blackmailed?

One will wonder whether someone on the government has got a bright idea to claim a rupee for each number plate for having introduced such system.

National Transport Commission shall obtain public opinion before introducing such system and analyse the merits before spending tax payer money

Dr Sarath Obeysekera