The linguists allege that there is an added challenge to the protection of the Nepali language when there are embossed number plates in English script.
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A demonstration has been held in Kathmandu saying that embossed number plates on vehicles should be in Devanagiri script. On Wednesday, Jag Nepali group demonstrated in Baneshwar saying that Nepali language and script cannot be erased. They said that the Devanagiri script should be protected.
The linguists have also alleged that instead of writing in Devanagari script, English has been promoted. Their question is, "Why English language in the vehicles that pass in Nepal?" The linguists allege that they are trying to eliminate the Nepali language by not writing it in Devanagari script.
The writ was dismissed by the Supreme Court
Bharat Kumar Basnet of Jaldhunga Marg, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-3 filed a writ in the Supreme Court with the demand to stop the distribution of embossed number plates in English language and to write the number plates in Devanagari script. A writ petition filed in the Supreme Court on January 10, 1974 was dismissed on November 27, 1976 by the constitutional bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Jabara, Justices Deepkumar Karki, Harikrishna Karki, Vishwambhar Prasad Shrestha and Prakashman Singh Raut. After that, the way was opened again for the installation of embossed number plates.
Embossed number plates are printed using digital technology, as it is mentioned in the answer sent to the court by the Department of Transport Management that the sizes are small and large due to the letters like Hriswa, Long, Tarkule, Berdane/Agar, Ikar, Ukar in Nepali. According to the Nepal-India Cross Border Agreement, as Nepalese vehicles are to be operated in India as well, the department claimed that writing in English would be understood by everyone.
"It is simple and easy to understand the foreign tourists coming to Nepal when there are number plates with English letters," it was said in the written reply sent to the Supreme Court by the Transport Management Office Ekantakuna at that time, "The connection of number plates has been started based on the letters written on the embossed number plates which are in vogue in other countries."
