India Supreme Court Suggests Linking Traffic Fines to Electricity Bills

The Supreme Court of India suggested that states and Union Territories implement unconventional recovery measures to collect approximately 20,000 crore rupees in outstanding traffic e-challan dues. During a hearing on a road safety plea, a bench comprising Justices J B Pardiwala and K V Viswanathan noted that only 25,000 crore of a total 45,000 crore in fines had been recovered.

Justice J B Pardiwala proposed adding unpaid fines to electricity bills, warning that power lines could be disconnected if the dues remain unpaid. The court argued that merely issuing e-challans is insufficient without effective recovery mechanisms. To further incentivize payment, the court recommended blocking the renewal of registration certificates and preventing the issuance of fitness and pollution certificates.

Additional enforcement measures include restricting vehicle ownership transfers on the Parivahan portal, suspending driving licenses, and impounding vehicles during random checks. These suggestions emerged from a long-running public interest litigation filed by S Rajaseekaran in 2012 seeking systemic reforms in road safety and traffic enforcement.