Have you been served a notice for a traffic violation on a vehicle that you’ve already sold? Chances are that the buyer has not bothered to transfer your vehicle in her or his name.
Out of the thousands of used vehicles bought and sold in the city every month, the City Police and Transport Department officials estimate that at least 20 per cent are not transferred to the buyers’ names.
With traffic police capturing offences through CCTV cameras, interceptors and digital cameras provided to constables, the Traffic Automation Enforcement Centre in the city issues hundreds of notices to traffic violators every day, on the basis of the licence plate and the owners’ name in the Transport Department’s records.
Notice to late Minister
City Police Commissioner M.A. Saleem cited a case in which the late former Minister Azeez Sait was served a notice for traffic violation in 2013, about twelve years after his death. The buyer of the former Minister’s car had not registered the vehicle in his name.
“Since the data relating to the offences is available with traffic personnel, such vehicles are flagged and detained. They will be released only after collecting penalty,” said Dr. Saleem. About Rs. 6 lakh penalty was collected during 2014, a police official said.
Dr. Saleem cautioned that previous owners’ would be liable for offences committed using the sold vehicles – be they traffic or criminal offences.
Sellers’ obligation
The sellers’ obligation does not end with collecting the delivery note from the buyer. “She or he has to ensure that the buyer transfers the vehicles to their names.” RTO, Mysuru East, P. Sumalatha, said the RTO routinely receives delivery notes submitted by the seller, but will not able to transfer the ownership of the vehicle without Form 29 and 30, which has to be submitted by the buyer. She also said that there have been occasions when the notice was issued to the original owner even if the buyer has transferred the vehicle in their name, because the police did not rely on updated records. Secretary of Used Car Dealers’ Association Pradeep Gowda said the dealers are also taking the City Police Commissioner’s direction seriously.
