No to NIC’s free service, crores to private agency!, Questions raised over police e-challan system in Maharashtra, Agency accused of not following mandatory procedure

Dr Khushalchand Baheti

Mumbai: A private agency is running the e-challan system for the Maharashtra police. However, the questions are being raised over this as the National Informatics System (NIC) can provide the same service free of cost.

e-challan, the police system for issuing computer generated challans for traffic violation cases, started in the state from July 2019. Though effective measure, vehicle owners do not get timely information like what mistake they made and when. Police stopping vehicles, asking to pay pending fine and threatening to detain vehicle till you pay is common experience in cities and on Highways. Vehicle owner is caught by surprise about pending fine because they are not informed of e challans on their vehicle.

Failing in providing mandatory information about violations leads to doubts over the legality of the recovery drive. The Central Motor Vehicle Rules 2021 Section 7 says that e-challan information should be communicated to vehicle owner by way of SMS, e-mail or physically with proof.

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Co gets money for challan,

Police have to recover

A private company is managing e-Challans of Maharashtra Police since December 2019. The company is responsible for communicating the information about traffic violations to the vehicle owners. The company gets Rs14 from the government per issued challan. About two crore e-challans are issued by the police every year. Interestingly, the company only issues the e-challan but is not concerned with the recovery of the challan amount. So, it gets money for its services but it is the police who have to recover the fine later.

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RTO gets free e-challan service

The e-challans issued by the transport department of Maharashtra are processed by the government agency National Informatics Centre free of charge. NIC provides free service in 23 states of the country and in 50 RTO offices of the state.

Maharashtra is the only state to pay crores of rupees annually to a private company for police challans though the NIC has expressed its willingness to do it free of charge.

BoX

UP govt cancels challans

UP government canceled all challans till 2021 after rules for mandatory communication of e challan were promulgated.

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Petition in Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court has accepted a petition filed by a CISF jawan for cancellation of e-challan on the ground of not providing timely information. The HC has issued a notice to the State.

Police have to right to seize vehicle

The police have no right to impound the vehicle for recovery of fine under any law. They can only file cases in court if fine is not paid.