All paperwork for buying your new car can now be completed at least a week in advance. This is because from September 14, dealers will have to fit the HSRP on the vehicle at the time of delivery, which was earlier done by the RTO.
While it’s good news for buyers, dealers fear potential conflicts with customers due to the administrative challenges. Any oversight or mistake in document verification could prove costly for them.
Dealers contend the administrative processes involved in clearing vehicle registration paperwork can take up to a week to complete, necessitating early action. While this system promotes transparency, it places the burden of tasks such as document verification, RTO tax, municipal tax, and insurance on dealers, tasks previously handled by the Regional Transport Offices, they said.
However, in the event of errors made by dealer staff during document verification or other processes, the provision for punishing dealers should not apply, as dealers lack the tools available to RTOs for verifying government documents, including Aadhaar cards, dealers said.
Any mistake could result in the suspension of the dealer’s trade certificate for a month.
“Additionally, the provision for imprisonment of dealers in the event of document verification errors is disproportionate and unreasonable,” dealers said.
Dealers are apprehensive as to how the RTO will handle pending work while simultaneously transitioning to online document processing.
A top RTO official said, “The government provided ample time for dealers to prepare; the implementation of the new system was delayed until September, having originally been slated for June. Moreover, the government has ensured the availability of number plates for this process.”
“The government has also enlisted the services of agencies to assist with these operations. Therefore, we believe if dealers complete all tax and registration processes in a timely manner, they will be able to deliver vehicles to customers on time without hiccups,” he added.
So, if you plan to get your car delivered on some auspicious occasion like your birthday, anniversary or some festive celebration, get on with your paperwork right now.
