Have any traffic challan still unpaid? The amount may be added to your electricity bill

The Supreme Court has proposed adding unpaid traffic fines to electricity bills to improve recovery. With ₹20,000 crore in fines unpaid, the court emphasised the need for more effective measures than issuing e-challans.

Do you have any traffic challans still unpaid? Now, you may get it added to your electricity bill.

On 28 September, the Supreme Court suggested ways to recover unpaid traffic fines. Around ₹20,000 crore in e-challan fines remain unpaid at the moment. The court said issuing e-challans alone was not enough.

Justice JB Pardiwala questioned the effectiveness of just issuing challans. He suggested linking unpaid fines to electricity bills instead. Authorities could recover money through other government dues as well.

Justice Pardiwala and Justice KV Viswanathan heard this matter together. The plea concerns electronic enforcement of traffic violations nationwide. This is part of a 2012 road safety petition. Coimbatore surgeon S Rajaseekaran originally filed this case.

Justice Pardiwala said police issue lakhs of e-challans regularly. But actual recovery of fines remains the real challenge.

States and UTs must recover around ₹45,000 crore total. So far, only ₹25,000 crore has been recovered.

The court said that the government must find better recovery methods. Merely issuing challans repeatedly does not solve the problem.

“It is not just sufficient to keep issuing e-challans. Police may issue thousands and lakhs of such e-challans. The question is recovery of fines as sought to be imposed by way of the e-challans,” the Bar and Bench quoted Justice Pardiwala as saying.

“If people are not paying traffic challans, add it to their electricity dues bill. They’ll have to pay electricity bills. Else, power line will be disconnected. Work it out. In this country, you have to find a way out,” the court added.

Judges discussed adding unpaid fines to electricity bills. People would then pay to avoid disconnection from power. The court insisted that a practical solution must be found.

Other measures

Other suggested measures included blocking vehicle registration renewals for defaulters. Duplicate certificates should also not be issued to them. Ownership transfer should be blocked until fines are cleared.

The court also suggested blacklisting such vehicles on the Parivahan portal. This would prevent any transfer of ownership of these vehicles.

Additional measures included withholding the issuance of fitness and pollution certificates. These would not be renewed until fines are paid.

The court also suggested blocking driving licence renewals for defaulters. Existing licences could also be suspended in serious cases.

The apex court pushed for stricter enforcement measures nationwide. It emphasised linking challan payments to essential government services.

This way, defaulters would feel real pressure to pay. The court wants concrete action, not just paperwork exercises.

About the Author

Sounak Mukhopadhyay covers trending news, sports and entertainment for LiveMint. His reporting focuses on fast-moving stories, box office performance, digital culture and major cricket developments. He combines real-time updates with clear context for everyday readers. <br><br> Sounak brings newsroom experience across breaking news, explainers and long-form features. He has a strong emphasis on accuracy, verification and responsible storytelling. His work tracks audience behaviour, celebrity influence and the business of sport and cinema. He helps readers understand why a story matters beyond the headline. <br><br> Sounak has contributed to widely read digital publications. He continues to build a body of journalism shaped by consistency, speed and editorial clarity. He is particularly interested in the intersection of media, popular culture and public conversation in contemporary India. <br><br> At LiveMint, he writes daily coverage as well as analytical pieces that interpret numbers, trends and cultural moments in accessible language. His approach prioritises factual depth, balanced framing and reader trust. The reporting aligns with modern newsroom standards of transparency and credibility. <br><br> Outside daily reporting, he explores storytelling across formats including podcasts, filmmaking and narrative non-fiction. Through his journalism, Sounak aims to document the rhythms of modern entertainment and sports while maintaining rigorous editorial integrity. <br><br> Sounak continues to develop audience-focused journalism that connects speed with substance in a rapidly-changing information environment. His work seeks clarity, trust and lasting public value in every story he reports.

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