Got unpaid traffic fines? Supreme Court orders tough action

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has directed authorities to take strict action against vehicles with unpaid traffic e-challans, including impounding them when they are found with unhonoured challans during random checks. A Bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan issued the directions while hearing a public interest litigation concerning road safety and electronic enforcement of traffic violations.

The Court directed authorities to freeze online services for vehicles with outstanding traffic fines. Renewal of registration certificates, issuance of duplicate registration certificates and requests to update the registered owner's address should be barred until the dues are cleared. Fitness certificates should also be withheld until all pending traffic fines are paid. Vehicles with outstanding dues should be blacklisted on the Parivahan portal, while ownership transfers should be blocked.

The Court was informed by the amicus curiae and an applicant appearing in person that States and Union Territories have approximately Rs 49,194.05 crore to recover towards e-challans issued over a period of time. Of this, Rs 26,175.05 crore had been recovered, leaving approximately Rs 23,019 crore outstanding. The Court observed that merely issuing thousands or lakhs of e-challans would serve little purpose unless authorities also ensured recovery of the fines.

Strong action needed

1. In cases involving multiple traffic violations, renewal of the driving licence should be suspended and steps should be taken to suspend a licence that is already in force.
2. Issuing e-challans alone is not sufficient; authorities must ensure recovery of the fines.
3. States and Union Territories should take effective measures to enforce recovery at the ground level.
4. States and Union Territories, the National Highways Authority of India and other road-owning agencies have been directed to ensure that electronic enforcement systems are AI-enabled and capable of detecting the specified categories of traffic violations under Rule 167A(3) of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules.

The Court also directed that vehicles be subjected to random checks and that necessary steps be taken to impound a vehicle if it is found that an e-challan issued against it has not been honoured.

Electricity bill suggestion

During the hearing, the Bench had also discussed the possibility of adding unpaid traffic fines to electricity bills as a means of recovering the dues. However, this was a suggestion made during the hearing and was not included as a formal direction in the written order.

Kerala offers relief

Kerala has allowed a discount of up to 50 per cent on fines for settling e-challans issued on or before March 31, 2026. The concession applies to challans that have not been handed over to court. The pending fines can be settled from November 1, 2026, to January 31, 2027.

E-challans pending settlement: 1,00,22,225

Fines to be collected: Around Rs 907 crore