Supreme Court (SC) has issued an interim order directing the Department of Transport Management to stop the issuance of embossed number plates.

Responding to a complaint filed by environmentalist Bharat Basnet, a single bench of Chief Justice Gopal Prasad Parajuli issued the order on Thursday.

Basnet in his complaint had stated that Devnagari font should be made compulsory in the number plates. He also said the chip used in it could be used to spy and breach the national security.

The department has already issued embossed number plates to around 1,700 vehicles while around 5,000 have applied for it.

The government had begun the process to distribute embossed number plates for vehicles on the basis of provincial structure against the current zonal format from October 22, 2017.

The government had earlier said that the implementation of embossed number plate system in automobiles will help the government in controlling vehicle thefts and crimes.