Modifying a vehicle in India is not simply a matter of personal choice: any change to a car's appearance or specifications that departs from its original manufacturer settings requires prior approval from the registering authority, according to Delhi Traffic Police, PTI reports. Owners who skip this step risk fines or even having their vehicle impounded under the Motor Vehicles Act, regardless of how harmless the modification might seem. The issue recently drew attention after a Gwalior man was fined Rs 5,500 for an unusual case of vehicle alteration: roughly 3,400 lipstick kiss marks left on his car by his girlfriend, in a makeover that went viral before police tracked down the vehicle and ordered the marks removed.
The car had been driven around Gwalior's City Centre for two days before a video of it went viral. Traffic police subsequently traced the vehicle and imposed the fine on its owner under the Motor Vehicles Act, in addition to ordering the removal of the lipstick marks.
