Kerala MVD delays Centre’s faceless vehicle transfer system

The Kerala Motor Vehicles Department has failed to fully implement the Centre's Aadhaar-backed online vehicle ownership transfer system, leaving hundreds of applicants in limbo, english.mathrubhumi.com reports. Over a hundred applications are pending at regional transport offices since the paperless portal launched a fortnight ago for vehicles registered after 2018.

Critics allege that officials are processing files selectively instead of in chronological order, allowing unauthorised middlemen to broker faster service for clients. Applications must clear three bureaucratic layers, a clerk, superintendent, and Joint RTO, and OTP-authenticated users are still asked to bring physical documents to counters, undermining the digital-first aim.

Field staff have received inadequate guidance on software changes, and clerical Aadhaar mismatches add days to processing. A key structural flaw: vehicle records and revenue remain tied to the original registering office, so a buyer in Ernakulam buying a car registered in Thiruvananthapuram sees fees routed back to the capital, requiring manual corrections. English.mathrubhumi.com notes that until data and fee collection are integrated into a state-wide digital repository, a truly faceless system will remain out of reach.