The Justice and Home Affairs Ministry yesterday drew attention to the Board of Petitions established by Legal Notice 414 of 2005 to point out to the public their rights when submitting a petition to the board.

It said the board had noted that there were instances when, during the processing of a petition for the revocation of traffic contraventions, the petitioner still received the summons to appear before the Local Tribunal.

A legal notice published earlier this year (Legal Notice 144) specifically lays down that “Following the presentation of a petition in the Registry of the Board, the Tribunal proceedings referring to such contravention shall be suspended for all effects and purposes of law, until such date when the petition is decided upon”.

The petitioner should, therefore, ignore any summons to appear before the Local Tribunal if he had lodged a petition with the Board of Petitions, the ministry said.

But it was to be noted that should a person pay the fine, the payment would render the petition null.