Order not new, rules already existed: RTO Kashmir

Srinagar, Mar 30: The Government’s move of directing non-registered vehicle owners in Kashmir to get their vehicles registered within fifteen days to their respective ARTO’s to avoid seizure of vehicles, has been widely criticized. Though few termed the move coming under the ambit of law and welcomed it however added that the double taxation is a “burden” on a common man and appealed to the government to revisit the move at the earliest.

 On March 27, the government of J&K issued a circular asking all vehicle owners who have purchased their vehicles bearing outside Registration Mark have to apply for a new Registration Mark as per the provisions of section 47/50 of Motor Vehicles Act 1988. The concerned were asked to submit the relevant documents of their vehicles to RTO, ARTO office within a period of 15-days failing which action, as warranted, shall be initiated against them.

 Kashmir Trade Alliance (KTA) President Ajaz Shahdhar while speaking to Rising Kashmir termed the move “anti-people,” asking how a purchaser can pay double tax on the same vehicle.

 He said a person who purchases a vehicle in Delhi, Haryana or elsewhere outside UT which included paying a full-time road tax, however, after arriving in the valley, how he is liable to pay it again. “When tax has already been paid in Delhi or any other state why authorities are demanding tax once again,” KTA President said.

 Shahdhar added that this is double taxing and a huge burden on the people of the valley, where the economy has already taken a hit due to continuous lockdowns. “Due to double taxation on a single-vehicle is the reason why people are hesitating to come forward to registering their vehicles,” Shahdhar said.

 He appealed to authorities to revisit the move and if there is no alternative, then register the vehicles on nominal charges so that people will come forward voluntarily to register their vehicles.

 The KTA President said the revision will ensure the trace-out of vehicles if involved in any untoward incident. “When vehicles would be registered on nominal charges, it would be easy to trace out the vehicle if involved in an accident or law & order issue,” he added.

 All Kashmir Transport Welfare Association (AKTWA) Chairman Shabir Ahmad Matt however welcomed the move, saying the order will bar outside vehicles for ferrying passengers without having legal permission in the Union Territory.

 “There are hundreds of vehicles from Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana and other states of India plying in the routes of J&K and ferrying passengers without having proper permission from authorities. I hope the order by RTO Kashmir will bar them onwards from ferrying passengers in J&K,” Matt said.

 “We have taken up the penetration of outside vehicles in J&K with the Transport Department for early resolution and the latest order in this regard seems a sigh of relief for local transporters,” he said and maintained that “double taxation” is unacceptable and should be revisited immediately for the welfare of transporters.

 Kashmir Traders & Manufacturers Federation (KTMF) President Mohammad Yasin Khan termed the move taken in “haste”.

 “We are unable to understand what present dispensation is doing. Asking people to register outside vehicles within a short period seems a decision taken in haste and without proper deliberation,” Khan said.

 Khan said that no doubt the step was taken as per the law but there should be a pattern which the Government didn’t adopt.

 He added that the administration should go for a compassionate review in the order besides people should also be given ample time to register their vehicles.

 Khan appealed to the Government to revisit the order at the earliest.

 “We have to take into account the current pandemic. Giving 15 days to vehicle owners for registering their vehicles with the office of RTO, ARTO’s can lead to rush of people at these offices and increase chances of getting infected with the virus,” he added.

 When Rising Kashmir contacted Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Kashmir, Ikram-Ullah Tak, he said that the “order is not new and these rules already exist in the law.”

 About “double taxation”, he clarified that if the owner of the vehicle has paid tax in Delhi, he or she should pay it again if a vehicle is transferred to another State or Union Territory.

 “There is a rule that when a person purchases a vehicle in Delhi or anywhere outside JK, he has to obtain NOC from the concerned person which remains valid for six months in the next State or UT. However, our directions are clear that those who have crossed six months should approach RTO/ARTO’s within fifteen days, to get the vehicle registered.”