The Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Central Government seeking a comprehensive response on proposed reforms to efficiently manage and recover outstanding traffic challans totaling ₹28,844 crore. This initiative aims to address the burgeoning issue of unresolved e-challans across the country.
During a hearing on March 3, which only became public knowledge on Tuesday, a bench led by Justice Abhay S Oka, along with Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasized the necessity to overhaul the current system. This includes the integration of state-level systems into a unified national e-challan framework, as suggested by advocate Kishan Chand Jain in his application.
Jain’s proposal for a “one nation, one e-challan system” seeks to streamline the recovery process of fines imposed for traffic violations, which often act as deterrents against road safety infractions. According to data from the Parivahan portal, nearly 320 million challans have been issued from January 2017 to March 11, 2025, with a significant ₹28,844.26 crore still outstanding.
The Supreme Court has also acknowledged the creation of a committee, led by former Justice AM Sapre, tasked with developing a national road safety plan. Jain has urged this committee to devise an effective mechanism for the timely recovery of e-challans. He highlighted the logistical challenges of interstate vehicle fines and the inconsistencies presented by multiple state portals managing their recovery.
