RTO discriminates against women, says dress code 'indecent'

In an extreme case of moral policing by Motor Vehicle Inspectors, women appearing for driving tests wearing jeans and tops have been sent home with the advice to return in ‘decent’ clothes before applying for a licence. 

Even men wearing shorts, lungi to these offices have been facing the same kind of discrimination by MV inspectors.  

Transport officials in several Regional Transport Offices across the state are citing an unofficial dress code for drivers’ licence aspirants. Their unauthorised clothing guidelines target women applicants who are sent back for wearing ‘indecent’ clothes to RTO offices.  

A few weeks ago, Natasha John (name changed) a final-year student at a city college went to the RTO office on New Avadi Road wearing jeans to appear for her driving test.  Natasha was rudely asked to return in ‘decent’ clothes by the MV Inspector. “I was shocked when the official told me I could not take the driving test as I was wearing jeans and sent me home. Later, I returned in a salwar kameez and took the test,” said the student, while speaking to this newspaper. 

An investigation by DT Next revealed that it was not an isolated case. “Women wearing western wear are usually sent back by vehicle inspectors. Even men who come in lungis, shorts or bermudas are asked to go home and return wearing appropriate clothes,” said a driving school instructor from Villivakkam. Even senior transport officials concurred with this discrimination based on one’s attire and even encouraged it. 

“Even though there is no dress code for taking driving tests, the officials do advise people to dress properly,” said S Velusamy, Joint Transport Commissioner (Rules). 

When asked if such guidelines were in the Motor Vehicles Act and if it was right for government officials to frame their own rules and dress code in violation of the Act, the official said, “There are no official guideless in the Act but people should maintain decency in public places.” Are RTO officials aware that this discrimination was possibly illegal? “Each RTO gets dozens of people, including women every day to take the test. So, they cannot dress casually,” said an RTO official.