Surinder Sharma
In the aftermath of the Delhi bomb blast — where a second-hand vehicle was reportedly used — the Jammu & Kashmir government has moved to tighten regulations on the sale and purchase of used cars. Authorities have announced that every second-hand vehicle transaction must now be reported to the government, ensuring full transparency in the pre-owned vehicle market.
The Jammu & Kashmir Transport Department has directed all used-car dealers to register themselves within 21 days. Dealers will be required to maintain detailed records of every vehicle bought or sold.
The initiative is aimed at preventing the misuse of second-hand vehicles in criminal or anti-national activities and at curbing substantial GST revenue losses caused by unregulated sales. While a few major automobile companies such as Maruti and Hyundai already operate licensed second-hand vehicle outlets, countless unregistered dealers continue to buy and resell used cars without any official data being generated.
Many of these dealers function merely as intermediaries, earning commissions without ensuring proper transfer of the vehicle’s Registration Certificate (RC). This often results in the original owner being held responsible if the vehicle is later involved in an accident or unlawful activity, while the actual culprits go unidentified.
Shaken by the revelations from the Delhi blast investigation, the administration is now preparing to regulate this unorganised sector more stringently.
Higher Sales Than New Vehicles
Jammu & Kashmir records around 20,000–25,000 new vehicle sales each month, rising to 25,000–30,000 during festive seasons. In comparison, the second-hand market is estimated to be nearly one-and-a-half times larger. Experts suggest that a single used vehicle may change hands multiple times without any official record, resulting in a multi-crore-rupee unmonitored monthly market.
