SC flags Rs 20,000 crore in unpaid traffic fines

The Supreme Court on Monday noted that States and Union Territories have a massive outstanding balance of Rs 20,000 crore to recover towards unpaid traffic e-challans and suggested linking such challans to electricity bills to recover the amount.

A Bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan was informed that despite issuing a vast number of traffic challans, recovery of fines is minimal. The SC said it is not just sufficient to keep issuing e-challans and that recovery of fines is important.

“If people are not paying traffic challans, add it to their electricity dues bill. They will have to pay electricity bills else power line will be disconnected. Work it out. In this country, you have to find a way out,” the Bench remarked.

The suggestion came after the SC was apprised that States and UTs had an outstanding of around Rs 45,000 crore towards e-challans, of which approximately Rs 25,000 crore has been recovered so far.

The court also opined on blacklisting vehicles which have not paid challans on the Parivahan portal and blocking ownership transfers.

Justice Pardiwala said authorities need to work at the ground level and also suggested random checks of vehicles to identify those against which e-challans remained unpaid.

“Let there be random checking of vehicles and if found that e-challan has not been honoured, necessary steps to be taken to impound the vehicle itself,” the bench said.

The SC was hearing a plea concerning comprehensive systemic reforms in road safety, traffic enforcement, and post-accident victim care.