The officer said the figure was at 4,363 in the corresponding period of 2023.
The Delhi Traffic Police has booked over 16,800 people for defective number plates so far this year, up by 286 per cent from the corresponding period of last year, according to official data.
According to a senior officer of the Delhi Traffic Police, 16,859 people were booked for defective number plates between January 1 and June 5 this year.
The officer said the figure was at 4,363 in the corresponding period of 2023.
This represents a notable surge of nearly 286 per cent in prosecutions compared to the previous year, the officer added.
"This surge in prosecution is part of a broader effort to enhance road safety and enforce compliance with traffic regulations," he said.
The traffic police department said it has intensified the crackdown on vehicles with defective number plates and the initiative has led to a significant increase in the number of penalties imposed.
"Defective number plates, which include those that are illegible, improperly formatted or do not conform to the prescribed standards, have been identified as a major issue contributing to traffic violations and security concerns," the officers said.
Special drives and checkpoints have been established across the city, with a particular focus on high-traffic areas and entry-exit points, police said.
The Delhi Traffic Police has also undertaken a thorough analysis of the top 10 traffic circles with the highest number of challans issued for defective number plates in 2024, according to the police officer.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)