Some government vehicles were yesterday spotted plying in Darjeeling with 'GL' number plates after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha which is spearheading an agitation for Gorkhaland asked all government vehicles to change their number plates to GL.

Gupta told PTI over phone that many government vehicles were kept in garages and all the officers including Additional District Magistrate's (ADMs) asked to hire private vehicles without GL number plate.

The DM said that if there was any further pressure to affix GL number plate, he would ask all government vehicles to stop plying and garage those till a solution to the problem was found.

When asked that the government vehicles were not using GL number plate, the GJM press secretary, Benoy Tamang said that the GJM leadership was observing the situation.

"If it was found that government officials were hiring private vehicles the GJM would chase the vehicles carrying government officials and ask them to change the number plate to GL," Tamang said.

"We have also asked the private vehicle owners to change the number plates but it was not not mandatory".

In the first phase GJM had affixed GL number plates to around 40 vehicles used by GJM and its leaders on July 7.