Vehicle registrations’ failed e-auction system under review

With the Excise Department incurring losses proposals are being considered for an alternative method

LAHORE:

The brainchild of the Punjab Excise Department meant to facilitate the public has instead become a source of distress for the people and financial loss for the department.

A few months back, the provincial Excise Department launched the e-auction system, for the allotment of vehicle registration numbers; now, users of the system report that the system is too complicated for the average joe.

People deem that the procedure, registration, and the timing of the auctions are such hassles that the average person cannot get their desired registration even if they do their best. Furthermore, the numbers left over in the e-auction are not re-allocated and if a person does win a certain registration and does not claim it, then that number is lost - depriving other hopefuls.

Resultantly, the Excise Department is incurring losses due to the non-receipt of pay-orders for the registration numbers that are left over. The Excise Department’s losses aside, according to car owners of the province the logical thing to do is to only keep a few special numbers in the e-auction whereas other registration numbers should be easily accessible and at a reasonable price.  

“I wanted to get number 505 for my new car. I have been trying for the last three auctions but have not been able to get it because, on the last day of the auction, the bidding time ends at midnight, and the system becomes unresponsive,” said Abid Kaliyar, a resident of Lahore who’s frustration eventually led him to buy a regular registration number.

Similarly, Noman Chaudhry said that the auction was so complicated that he couldn’t succeed even after multiple attempts so he had to purchase his registration through an authorized agent. Furthermore, the system has also come under fire for being used by department officials to fill their own pockets. According to the law, to participate in the e-auction, the pay order of the reserve price fixed for each attractive number has to be submitted to the Excise Department.

However, it has been alleged that some officials, along with the help of authorized agents have been personally receiving pay orders and allowing them to participate in the auction - so even when they do not win the auction they get allocated registrations of their choice.

Following such allegations, the Director General (DG) Excise has directed the Director Headquarters, Fiza Shah, to conduct an audit and investigation of the last ten auctions. Given the public’s grievances and payment discrepancies in the system, an overhaul is now on the cards. Recently, the Secretary Excise, Waqas Ali Mehmood, and DG Excise presented their proposals to all the Regional Directors at the Directors’ Conference for significant changes in the e-auction system.

The Express Tribune learned that two-thirds of the directors supported the proposed new system, while others have suggested some changes to it. Secretary Excise and Taxation Punjab, Waqas Ali Mehmood, when inquired about the overhaul, said that the purpose of launching an e-auction system was to provide comfort to the public, but there are complaints that the system has flaws and unnecessary restrictions.

 “Now we have put forward some suggestions to all field officers and sought their opinion, and after thorough consultation and testing, we will make fundamental changes to the system,” Mehmood told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2022.