Bombay HC Issues Notice Over Alleged RTO Lapses In Vehicle Safety Device Verification

On October 1, 2026, the Bombay High Court issued a notice in response to a petition filed by Om Auto Tech, a distributor of safety devices. The complaint alleges that Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) in Maharashtra have been improperly registering vehicles and issuing fitness certificates without properly checking if the vehicles have the necessary vehicle tracking and emergency safety devices.

The petition claims that Inspectors of Motor Vehicles (IMVs) approved registrations and fitness renewals even when the vehicles were allegedly missing functional AIS-140 Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) and emergency panic buttons. These devices are required by law to be installed in public transport vehicles for safety reasons, particularly for women and children.

According to the petition, IMVs in multiple RTOs, including Mumbai Central, Andheri, Borivali, Panvel, and Navi Mumbai, approved vehicles without physically verifying the presence and functionality of these critical safety devices. The petitioner claims that at least 10 commercial vehicles were registered using manipulated electronic identifiers, such as IMEI numbers, which were allegedly altered without their knowledge.

Despite security measures in place, the altered IMEIs were approved by transport authorities, leading to the operation of vehicles without proper tracking or emergency buttons. The petition also states that complaints were filed with the APMC police station in Navi Mumbai in June 2025 and with the Transport Commissioner, but no effective action or investigation was taken.

The petitioner is seeking a forensic probe and strict enforcement of the mandatory safety requirements across all RTOs, invoking constitutional provisions on equality and freedom of speech.