Legal action is being taken only against vehicles displaying distorted or non-compliant temporary number plates amid the ongoing shortage of official vehicle number plates in Sri Lanka, Police said.Sri Lanka has been facing a severe number plate shortage after the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) suspended the issuance of official number plates for nearly 10 months due to the absence of a supplier.The delay has reportedly prevented the printing of nearly 400,000 number plates, while the DMT says official issuance is expected to resume on or before June 14.

With newly registered vehicles unable to obtain official plates, many motorists have turned to private businesses to prepare temporary number plates in various colours, sizes and designs.

The situation has led to complaints from vehicle owners, who claim police are imposing fines on vehicles using temporary plates despite the delay being caused by the authorities.Responding to the concerns, Police clarified that action is not being taken against motorists using temporary number plates prepared according to approved guidelines. Police said temporary plates must follow the standards issued by the Department of Motor Traffic, including black lettering on a white background for front plates and black lettering on a yellow background for rear plates.Authorities noted that some motorists are using customised number plates with decorative fonts, altered colours and vehicle-matching designs, making it difficult for officers to identify vehicles, particularly at night or under strong light conditions.Police further stated that enforcement is being carried out only against vehicles displaying distorted, unclear or non-standard number plates that violate DMT regulations.