Kochi | Senior CPI(M) leader and former minister P Rajeev on Monday asserted that a High Court order prohibits use of 'Kerala state' signage in private or public sector vehicles.

Rejecting Keralam Minister KM Shaji's claim that no rules were violated by his use of a friend's Range Rover as an official vehicle, he said Shaji cannot claim that he was unaware of the HC order.

The Marxist party leader said Shaji cannot claim lack of awareness about the High Court decision as an excuse to use a private vehicle as an official one.

Shaji, who has faced Opposition criticism over the use of the vehicle and a foreign trip sponsored by his friends, had on Sunday said the Range Rover belonged to a friend whom he had known since he was an MLA from Azhikode.

He had also said that the use of vehicles by ministers was governed by government orders and claimed that there was no rule requiring a minister's vehicle to be only government-owned.

State Forest Minister Shibu Baby John, meanwhile, said on Monday that he was unaware of a rule that mandates seeking prior permission to use a private vehicle for official purposes.

He said that his father had been a minister for several years and he himself was a minister in the past, but he was unaware of any such rule requiring prior permission.

He further said that he only knew that no maintenance cost can be claimed in respect of wear and tear caused to a private vehicle.