Hyderabad: In a final notification the Telangana government will direct motorists to change their vehicle number plates from AP to TS code. The transport department in consultation with the law department has been currently drafting the final notification, which will be issued very soon. The law department is being kept in the loop to ensure that no legal hassles arise in future.

The Telangana government had previously issued a GO in June 2014 soon after the new state was formed, asking motorists for “re-registration” of their vehicles within four months and to change from AP to TS code. However, the High Court took the Telangana government to task for harassing motorists after a motorist filed a petition against the GO, thereby forcing the government to put its decision on hold.


The court made serious remarks against the government observing that “just because you have the power, don’t be under an impression that you can do anything and everything under the sun. You have to justify your actions. You cannot use the power given by the people in a whimsical manner. Why should people go and stand in long queues to get their registered vehicles re-registered? Why are you harassing them like this?”

But the government brought to the notice of the court that it was only a preliminary notification seeking objections and suggestions from motorists and nothing has been finalised. However, the court stayed the GO in September 2014. The issue has been pending since then. The TS government is currently devising a simple mechanism where motorists can acquire a new TS code either through Mee Seva or online without visiting RTA offices, waiting in long queues and undergoing unnecessary expenditure for re-registration. A software has been devised by the transport department for the purpose where motorists can submit their existing vehicle number online and get new TS number instantly.