Traffic Offenders May Receive One-Month Grace Period to Settle Fines

Traffic violators who have not paid fines imposed on them for breaking traffic rules through online and virtual courts may be granted a one-month grace period to avoid legal prosecution, pending a favorable decision by the High Court. Cases that have already been transferred to Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) courts for adjudication may be returned to virtual courts if the High Court issues such instructions. Respondents will be given one additional month to settle their fines, and failing to do so may result in court proceedings against them.

Under the current system, cases filed by the Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) and the police against rule violators are initially uploaded to the challan software. Respondents are then given one month to pay their fines online. Individuals who have linked their phone numbers with their vehicle documents receive SMS notifications about the imposed charges and can check their status online. They have a 60-day window to resolve their cases through virtual courts. Cases that remain unresolved after this period are transferred to regular courts. Approximately 4.5 lakh cases pending for the past six months have been distributed among various CJM courts in the state.

The transfer of cases resulted from the integration of e-court software with virtual courts. Until cases are resolved, all services related to vehicles and licenses will be suspended.

To update the status of a fine, individuals can make online payments through the portal www. Echallan.parivahan.gov.in/index/accused. They will receive an e-challan number via SMS. Those who have not received an SMS can still check their status by providing vehicle details. To verify the status of a driving license, individuals can enter details under the ‘DL number’ option. If a case has been registered, fines can be paid by entering the e-challan number and other required information under the e-challan option. Information about whether a case has been referred to a court can also be obtained by clicking on the ‘check challan status’ link under ‘check online services.’