The Punjab Transparency and Accountability Commission (PTAC) has imposed a ₹ 5,000 penalty each on the Regional Transport Officers (RTOs) of Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur over delays in delivering notified services related to the issuance and renewal of driving licences. The commission has also issued fresh show-cause notices to the two officers, seeking explanations as to why disciplinary action should not be recommended for administrative negligence and continued pendency of applications.
The notices, issued on September 18, were addressed to Gurdaspur RTO Navjot Sharma and Hoshiarpur RTO Amandeep Kaur Ghuman. The commission said applications for the issuance and renewal of driving licences had remained pending beyond the time limit prescribed by the government, amounting to non-compliance with the Punjab Transparency and Accountability in Delivery of Public Services Act, 2018. The action comes after the commission had issued earlier show-cause notices to both officers in 2026 over excessive pendency. Under Section 16(3) of the Accountability Act, the commission can impose a penalty of up to ₹ 10,000 per case on a designated officer or other official involved in the delivery of a notified public service if it finds that the officer has failed, without sufficient cause, to discharge the assigned duty.
The officers had been directed to explain the reasons for the delays and detail the steps taken to dispose of the pending applications.
However, the commission said it had not received replies or satisfactory explanations within the stipulated seven-day period.
