PIL in Delhi High Court asks to remove VT from aircraft name, calls it `symbol of slavery`

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed within the Delhi judiciary to switch the decision sign VT, which is written on Indian aircraft and is alleged to be for "Victorian Territory and Viceroy Territory," a relic of British people Raj. Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, a BJP leader and attorney who filed the PIL, claimed that because India could be a "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic," the decision Sign "VT" is in violation of the Rule of Law, the correct to Freedom, and also the Right to Dignity of Persons guaranteed by Articles 14, 19, and 21 of the Constitution. 

The prefix `VT` stands for `Victorian Territory and Viceroy Territory,` which is that the nationality code that every aircraft registered in India is required to hold. The Code is mostly seen just before the rear access door and above the windows. All the domestic airlines have the prefix, which is followed by unique alphabets that outline the aircraft and who it belongs to. for instance, on Indigo flights, the registration VT is followed by IDV, i.e., VT-IDV, for Jet, it's VT-JMV, the plea stated.

It further said the prefix marks that the aircraft had been registered within the country, and it's mandatory all told countries. The registration of the aircraft is required to seem in its Certificate of Registration, and an aircraft can only have one registration in one jurisdiction.

The PIL contended that Britain set the prefix `VT` for India before the partition in 1929. British set the code for all the colonies starting with V. However, countries like China, Pakistan, Nepal, and land changed their codes later. While in India, the prefix has remained on the aircraft even after 93 years, which offends the correct to dignity of citizens.

The registration is as per international laws, and each aircraft must specify which country and airline it belongs to, employing a unique alpha-numeric code, which is of 5 characters, that's in IndiGo`s case VT-IDV, and for Jet, it's VT-JMV. In simple words, the decision sign or the vehicle plate is for the identification of the aircraft, it said.

The petitioner submitted that the identification number of Indian aircraft marks the legacy of `The British Raj`. `VT` code may be a reflection of colonial rule. India could be a sovereign country, hence can't be a territory of the Viceroy. Why is India continuing with the VT code? The efforts of the govt. to vary the registration number plate are fruitless.

In 2004, the aviation ministry approached the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to alter the code, but no decision has been taken to date. it's a code given to us in 1929 by British rulers, denoting us as British territory. India, even after 75 years of Independence, retains the symbol of slavery `VT`.

The use of the VT symbol denotes us still being Victorian Territory and Viceroy Territory, which is true. Still, the govt. refuses to induce it changed or perhaps make a trial even after 75 years of Independence. The petitioner submitted that the majority of the countries which went through colonial servitude have gotten obviate their colonial signs and launched nationalist codes.

The petitioner submitted that the decision sign `VT` was assigned to India during the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington, signed at Washington on November 27, 1927. Like India, every country encompasses a one-or-two-character alphanumeric code for the identity of aircraft. just like the US has `N`, the united kingdom has `G`, UAE has `A6`, Singapore has `9V`, and so on. in keeping with the planet Factbook placed on the web site of cia.gov, these codes indicate the nationality of civilian aircraft.