The Supreme Court on Thursday directed states to block vehicle services for people with unpaid traffic fines. Authorities must blacklist vehicles on the Parivahan portal and stop issuing fitness or pollution certificates. The court said, “The authorities shall also deny fitness certificate until all pending traffic fines are entirely cleared.”
The directive is part of a nationwide push to strengthen the electronic enforcement of road-safety laws, while also tightening the noose on individuals with unpaid fines
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed all states and Union Territories (UTs) to suspend online and other vehicle-related services for individuals with unpaid traffic fines. These services include vehicle registration renewals, issuance of fitness and pollution-under-control (PUC) certificates, ownership transfers, and driving license renewals.
The directive is part of a nationwide push to strengthen the electronic enforcement of road-safety laws, while also tightening the noose on individuals with unpaid fines, according to the Hindustan Times.
A Bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and KV Viswanathan ordered authorities to blacklist vehicles with outstanding e-challans on the central Parivahan portal, blocking their sale or transfer.
In cases involving multiple violations, authorities have been asked to suspend renewal of the driving license and take steps to suspend an existing license, reported HT.
The apex court noted that merely issuing thousands or lakhs of e-challans did not prove to be effective, unless authorities were successful in recovering the fines.
Of Rs 49.194.05 crore worth of outstanding e-challans issued over a period of time, authorities were able to recover only Rs 26.175.05 crore, the Court was informed.
“What is expected of the authorities insofar as effective implementation of recovery of fine etc. is concerned is to freeze the online services for vehicles which have outstanding amounts. The Authorities shall bar from renewing registration certificate, issuing duplicate registration certificate and also shall not entertain any request for updating owner’s address etc", the Bench said.
It also directed the authorities to refrain from issuing fitness certificates until all pending fines are cleared.
“The authorities shall also deny fitness certificate until all pending traffic fines are entirely cleared and further there should be blacklisting of the vehicle concerned on the Parivahan Portal," said the Court.
In case of multiple violations, the Bench said, authorities will require to suspend driving license as well as pause its renewal. “What is most important is that no center should be permitted to issue PUC certificate," it said.