LUCKNOW, Sept. 27 -- The transport department's faceless system for vehicle-related services has come under scrutiny after no objection certificates (NoCs) were automatically approved in Lucknow despite pending challans and incomplete documents, raising questions over the effectiveness of online verification. The cases were detected at the regional transport office (RTO), Transport Nagar, where officials found that NOCs had been auto-approved through the Aadhaar-authentication-based system even though challans were reflected against some vehicles on the Vahan portal. In another set of cases, NOCs were approved despite incomplete documents uploaded with Form-28. Officials found instances in which forms lacked the registered owner's signature or thumb impression and the required pencil imprint of the vehicle's chassis. The faceless system was introduced to reduce physical interaction with RTO officials and enable services such as vehicle transfer and NOC issuance online. Under the automated process, applications are processed without routine intervention by transport officials. Officials said the cases detected in Lucknow pointed to possible gaps in the system's validation mechanism. They are also examining whether vehicles without valid fitness certificates, insurance or pollution-under-control certificates received similar approvals. ARTO (Administration) Pradeep Singh said the cases detected so far were only a small sample and a wider review would be required before assessing the overall impact....