Kochi: The same name, date of birth and home address are no longer enough to guarantee smooth online processing at the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD). Motorists across the state are finding themselves in a bind over minute discrepancies such as a single letter being capitalised or lowercased or a zero missing before a single-digit date or month, between their Aadhaar cards and driving licences.

Minor variations in home addresses or parent names are also flagging system errors under “demographic mismatch”. When data on the Aadhaar and driving licence fail to align perfectly, the automated portal rejects the application, leaving applicants with no choice but to visit the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in person to fix simple typos.

 

‘Mismatch’ over a single letter

Those attempting to update their mobile numbers on driving licences, a prerequisite for services such as licence renewals, are the worst affected. Mobile number updates via the portal rely on an Aadhaar-based authentication system. However, the software strictly demands 100 per cent matching records.

Even if an applicant points out that the name is identical, the system remains unyielding. A difference of a single letter results in instant rejection. Drivers who obtained their licences in other states before updating their Aadhaar address to Kerala face a similar hurdle, as the system flags the address variation as a mismatch.


Online glitches fuel RTO rush

With online options stalling, frustrated applicants are flocking to local RTOs. Vehicle inspectors report receiving upwards of 25 such complaints daily per office. Officials are forced to manually verify credentials and update phone numbers, increasing the administrative workload meant to be lightened by automation.

Conversely, motorists whose mobile numbers are already registered correctly and can receive OTPs without issue continue to access services online without visiting an office.

 

No threat of licence cancellation

Meanwhile, officials dismissed rumours circulating on social media claiming that failure to link Aadhaar immediately will lead to licence cancellation. The department clarified that such messages are entirely baseless and urged the public not to panic.

Officials noted that the issue could be easily resolved if a feature were introduced on the Vahan and Sarathi portals allowing applicants to self-correct minor discrepancies.