A resident of Beijing whose car was stolen has taken the municipal transport authority to court, after it refused to give him a new number plate on Thursday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The resident, surnamed Jiang, said he applied to the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport asking for a new number plate, but was informed that he had to participate in the lottery again.

Since the end of 2010, Beijing residents have to take part in a lottery to get a number plate, to reduce vehicle numbers on the road.

Jiang said the authority's reply had no legal basis.