JUDGMENT

The petitioner is the auction purchaser and present custodian of a Mahindra LMV Motor Car bearing registration No. KL-01-AT-239. The said vehicle originally belonged to the Kerala Forest Department and was brought for e-auction through the third respondent, MSTC Ltd., a public- sector undertaking under the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, primarily engaged in e-commerce services, including e-auction, and procurement. Ext. P1 e-auction notice dated 03.01.2024 was issued by the 1^st respondent, and the auction was conducted on 17.01.2024, and the petitioner purchased the vehicle for an amount of Rs.3,36,301/- along with GST.

2. The vehicle was originally registered with the 1^st respondent vide Ext. P1(A) with Registration No. KL01-AT-239, and used by the 2^nd respondent. Pursuant to payment, the Divisional Forest Officer, Thiruvananthapuram, issued an order directing the release of the vehicle, and the Range Forest Officer, Paruthippally, released the same to the petitioner on 26.02.2024 along with the original registration certificate.

2.1. After taking delivery, the petitioner approached the 4^th respondent, the Regional Transport Officer, Idukki, for endorsement of the t