A person buying a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler is required to register ownership of the same with the Road Traffic Authority (RTA), failing which he is penalised severely.
A person buying a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler is required to register ownership of the same with the Road Traffic Authority (RTA), failing which he is penalised severely. However, the RTA officers are often arrogant and fail to issue the papers for a long time. That is counted as deficiency of service, and actionable under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986, says Kerala State Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission in connection with the regional transport officer vs. George Thattil case.
Thattil, an insurance investigator, wanted the particulars of registration of a car, which was registered with the RTA at Thrissur. The owner stated that he had purchased the car, but had not received the Registration Book (RC Book) from the RTA for a long time. The investigator took it upon himself to collect the book and details based on an authority letter received from the original owner.
The RTA at Thrissur took over a year to deliver the RC Book and other details to Thattil. Thattil filed a complaint in the District Consumer Dispute Redressal Forum, alleging deficiency of service by the RTA, and claiming Rs10,000 as compensation.
District forum heard both parties and concluded that one year was too long for re-issuing a RC Book, and ordered RTA to pay Thattil a sum of Rs5,000 as compensation, plus Rs1,500 as cost of litigation.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, the RTA took the matter in appeal to the state commission. RTA stated that the building in which the papers were being processed was under repair and this was why the papers could not be processed speedily. It stated that the delay in issue of the certificate did no cause any loss to the owner, as he was already in possession of the certificate, which declared that the transfer of ownership was under process with the RTA, and that no specific action had been taken against him for non-possession of the RC Book.
The commission did not accept the statements. Castigating it for the delay, the commission stated that the excuse that the office was undergoing repair could not be accepted. Further, it stated that the car owner had stated that he needed the RC Book for the purpose of making an insurance claim and this was mentioned in the application made by Thattil to the authority concerned.
Confirming this as a case of deficiency of service, the commission confirmed the order of the forum.
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