Supreme Court Suggests Adding Unpaid Traffic Challans To Electricity Bills

The Supreme Court has suggested linking unpaid traffic challans to electricity bills as authorities look for ways to recover a large backlog of traffic fines across India.

SC Seeks Concrete Steps To Recover Unpaid Challans

The suggestion came during a hearing on the recovery of e-challan dues, with the court observing that simply issuing traffic challans was not enough if the fines were not eventually recovered.

Justice JB Pardiwala said authorities should explore practical methods to ensure people pay outstanding challans, including adding unpaid amounts to other government dues such as electricity bills.

The court was told that states and Union Territories have around ₹ 45,000 crore in pending e-challan dues. About ₹ 25,000 crore has been recovered so far, leaving a substantial amount still outstanding.

Electricity Bill Link Only A Suggestion For Now

The court's remarks do not amount to an order directing electricity providers to recover traffic fines.

The idea of adding unpaid challans to electricity bills was discussed as one possible recovery mechanism during the hearing. The court made clear that it was a suggestion and not a direction for immediate implementation.

Justice Pardiwala stressed that any recovery system would have to account for ground realities and work beyond the generation of e-challans.

Vehicle Registration Renewal Could Be Blocked

The Supreme Court also discussed several other measures that authorities could consider against vehicles with pending challans.

These include blocking renewal of vehicle registration certificates, stopping the issue of duplicate registration certificates and preventing transfer of ownership until outstanding fines are cleared.

The court also suggested withholding fitness certificates for vehicles with unpaid challans and considering the blacklisting of such vehicles on the Parivahan portal.

Driving Licence And PUC Renewal Also Discussed

Other measures discussed included stopping renewal of driving licences linked to pending challans and suspending licences that have already been issued.

The court also suggested that authorities could consider refusing PUC certificates to vehicles with unpaid fines, alongside random checks of vehicles on the road.

In cases where a vehicle continues to carry unpaid e-challans, authorities could also consider seizure, the court said.

SC Questions Effectiveness Of E-Challan System

The hearing focused on the gap between issuing traffic penalties and actually recovering the money.

The court observed that police authorities may issue thousands or even lakhs of e-challans, but the system would have limited effect if motorists continued to leave the fines unpaid.

The suggestions are aimed at creating stronger links between traffic enforcement and existing government systems so that pending fines do not remain unresolved.