Supreme Court orders action against motorists with unpaid traffic fines

India’s Supreme Court has ordered States and Union Territories to restrict a range of online and vehicle-related services for motorists who have not paid outstanding traffic fines. The directions cover registration renewals, fitness certificates, pollution-under-control certificates, ownership transfers and driving-licence renewals. Vehicles with unpaid e-challans are to be blacklisted on the central Parivahan portal, preventing their sale or transfer until the dues are cleared.

A Bench of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan was told that unpaid e-challans amounted to about ₹49,194.05 crore nationwide, while ₹26,175.05 crore had been recovered.

The court also directed authorities to consider withholding or suspending licences in cases involving multiple violations. The Bench called for random vehicle checks and said vehicles could be impounded when inspections found that e-challans had not been honoured. The directions were issued in a road-safety case dating from 2012, through which the court has monitored implementation of the Motor Vehicles Act and related rules.

The court directed States and Union Territories to implement a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways standard operating procedure issued in October 2025. The framework provides for electronic detection of violations using equipment such as CCTV cameras, speed cameras and speed guns. Authorities must identify enforcement locations and procure, deploy and calibrate the required equipment.

The Ministry was also directed to establish a public dashboard with monthly information on enforcement locations, installed devices, operational status, violations and e-challans. The court warned that failure to implement its directions could lead to stern action and sought a comprehensive status chart from the amicus curiae.