JD(S) alleges Karnataka RTOs rely on agents and retired staff, demands accountability

The Janata Dal (Secular) has alleged irregularities and corruption in Karnataka's Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), accusing the Congress-led State government of allowing retired employees and private agents to handle official work in the department.

The allegations were made in a social media post in which the party sarcastically "congratulated" the government for what it said was the practice of giving government chairs and cabins to retired 'D' grade employees and agents to clear files in RTO offices. In the same post, the party posed questions about the department's functioning, referring to Minister Byrathi Suresh and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

The JD(S) said that a written reply tabled in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly acknowledged the presence of private individuals and retired staff working in RTO offices. The party claimed this amounted to an admission that personnel without official authorisation were handling official business, and said it showed a failure of internal oversight in the department.

The party also alleged that upgraded online services — VAHAN-4 and Sarathi-4 — were being sidelined. VAHAN is the central government's platform for vehicle registration and related records, while Sarathi handles driving licence services. The JD(S) contended that if these digital services were fully used, citizens would not have to depend on intermediaries, often at an additional cost, to get routine work done.

On corruption, the party questioned the department's response to cases in which First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered following raids by the Lokayukta, the State's anti-corruption ombudsman. It asked whether officials were turning a blind eye to money allegedly being collected through agents, and whether any disciplinary or corrective action had followed.

Describing the situation as evidence of administrative failure, the JD(S) called for greater accountability and transparency in the working of RTO offices.

RTOs are district-level offices under the State transport department. They handle vehicle registration, transfer of ownership, driving licences, permits and the collection of road taxes — services that touch almost every vehicle owner and driver in the State. Over the past decade, a large share of this work has been routed through the Union government's VAHAN and Sarathi platforms, which were designed to reduce paperwork and the need for middlemen.

The allegations have not been independently verified. The Transport Department and the State government had not issued a public response to the JD(S) post at the time of writing. An allegation is not proof of wrongdoing, and individuals or officials accused of misconduct are entitled to the presumption of innocence unless a competent authority or court establishes otherwise.

The JD(S), a regional party in opposition in Karnataka, has frequently criticised the State government over administrative matters, including the functioning of departments that deal directly with the public. Whether the government responds to these specific charges, and how the Transport Department addresses the concerns raised in the Assembly reply, will determine the course of the debate in the coming weeks.