HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court has issued notices to Telangana government and various auto dealers of the city on a petition alleging sale of auto rickshaws on false and fabricated documents and allowing them for registration.
The bench was dealing with a petition filed by the Nagole Auto Drivers Welfare Association which alleged that the RTA authorities in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits have been allowing fake registration of auto rickshaws with the connivance of certain auto dealers.
Petitioners’ counsel Surya Satish submitted that the state government has issued a GO in 2012 permitting sale of 20,000 autos within the GHMC limits and the government conditioned that the auto shall be registered in the name of a person having a valid auto rickshaw driving badge. Later, the auto dealers succeeded in changing the condition and allowing them to sell auto rickshaws to any one having the driving license and it has resulted in sale of autos on benami names and also registration of two autos with the same number, he argued.
Intervening, the bench asked the government counsel how the authorities were registering auto rickshaws with the same number. While adjourning the case hearing to June 29, the bench ordered the principal secretary to transport department and other respondents to file their counter affidavits in the case.