LUCKNOW: Despite the government granting a complete hundred percent tax exemption to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, the transport department’s online portal continued to levy vehicle tax on an electric vehicle owner, collecting 45,780 rupees over nearly two and a half years. The discrepancy came to light during a transport fair held on Saturday at the Regional Transport Office located in Transport Nagar, exposing significant gaps between policy announcements and the department’s digital payment infrastructure.
Portal Collects Tax Across Eight Separate Instalments
Official records from the transport office reveal that the electric vehicle, registered under the number UP-32-TN-0615, was officially registered on April 14, 2023. Following the registration, the vehicle owner paid a cumulative tax amount of 45,780 rupees across eight individual instalments up until December 15, 2025. The department’s digital portal processed and accepted every payment transaction without flagging that the electric vehicle was completely exempt from such liabilities under current government policy.
Transport Fair Exposes Departmental System Glitch
The anomaly was formally raised when the vehicle owner brought the documentation before senior transport authorities during the transport fair on Saturday. After reviewing the payment records and verifying the status of the vehicle, officials acknowledged the administrative lapse and issued direct orders to refund the entire amount of 45,780 rupees to the aggrieved owner. Departmental personnel admitted that the online system had erroneously accepted recurring tax payments contrary to the explicit exemption rules framed to support clean mobility.
Digital Services Face Scrutiny Amid Multiple Complaints
Beyond the wrongful tax collection from the electric vehicle owner, the transport fair witnessed numerous other public grievances that placed the functioning of the department’s digital setup under intense scrutiny. Applicants and vehicle owners reported widespread complications regarding driving licences, vehicle ownership transfers, and the issuance of no-objection certificates. The repeated acceptance of unauthorized payments from an exempt vehicle has intensified concerns regarding how digital services synchronize with existing transport guidelines.
