Stories
Supreme Court Suggests Linking Traffic Fines to Electricity Bills to Recover ₹45,000 Crore Dues
- •Supreme Court advises states and union territories on strict measures to recover outstanding e-challan fines.
- •Suggestion to link unpaid traffic fines directly to vehicle owners' home electricity bills.
- •Approximately ₹45,000 crore in traffic fines are outstanding nationwide, with only ₹25,000 crore recovered.
- •Court suggests suspending licenses, denying RC renewal, and seizing vehicles for unpaid fines.
- •These are suggestions from the hearing and not yet implemented as final laws or orders.
Key Questions Answered
During a hearing on September 28, 2026, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Viswanathan suggested that states and union territories could link outstanding e-challan fines directly to home electricity bills, meaning power could be disconnected if fines remain unpaid, though this is currently only a proposal and not a final law.
The Supreme Court was informed that approximately ₹45,000 crore in traffic fines is currently outstanding across the country, out of which only ₹25,000 crore has been successfully recovered by states and union territories.
The court suggested suspending driving licenses, preventing the renewal of registration certificates (RC), fitness certificates, and pollution under control (PUC) certificates, blacklisting vehicles on the 'Parivahan' portal, restricting ownership transfers, and conducting random roadside checks to immediately seize vehicles with long-pending fines.
