According to sources, about every two years the officers are provided new cars but, despite the fact that the cars are relatively new, the School Board pays a monthly maintenance and petrol bill of about Rs 40,000 for some of them. One AC car is being used by a senior officer of the Punjab Education Department; its logbook is signed by a Deputy Director of the Board.

The second AC car is with a Punjab Minister; its log book is signed by an Officer-on-Special Duty in the Board. PSEB union president Harbhajan Singh Billa charges that the minister initially used the car for campaigning and has since passed it on to his family.

A third car is with another senior Punjab officer. Union officials claim that he is not authorised to take a vehicle from the Board; the logbook is signed by his PA.

This practice has reportedly carried on for the past three years, including the tenure of the previous Board Chairman, Dr Jasbir Singh Ahluwalia, sources say.

School Board security officer-cum-transport in-charge Charanjit Singh declined to comment when questioned about the use of the cars and the whopping monthly bills. Instead he deflected all questions to Board Secretary Jagjit Singh. Sidhu who is also transport controller. Sidhu is presently touring Europe, America and Canada. The concerned OSD of the Board also refused to comment as "I am not authorised to speak to the press". Board Chairman Kehar Singh was unwilling to comment "as I am new to the Board and have no knowledge of it. It will take some time before I get a grip of the administration. I will take action after checking on facts."

Union say that they have frequently held dharnas to protest the misuse of the vehicles "but instead of taking cognisance of the issue, the Board authorities have preferred to register false cases against our activists," says Harbhajan Singh Billa.