Challan collection is not a revenue drive, HC reminds police
The Telangana High Court’s January order barred coercive roadside recovery of pending fines. A later contempt hearing heard an allegation that the lesson needed repeating.
The High Court said pending challans may be prosecuted in court, but not recovered coercively on the road.
The Telangana High Court has already told Telangana police not to turn pending traffic challans into a roadside collection counter. In its January 20 order, the court directed authorities not to use coercive measures to recover issued or pending challans, while allowing them to prosecute traffic offenders before the competent court. Motorists may pay pending fines voluntarily; payment cannot be forced on the road. Routine checks and document verification were not barred.
In a later contempt-related hearing involving petitioner V. Raghavendra Chary, his counsel alleged that traffic police seized a vehicle, retained its original registration certificate and released the vehicle after about six hours. These remain submissions, not findings by the court. The court reportedly asked whether the incident was isolated and warned that enforcement should not become a “revenue drive”. The September 17 hearing order was not available in the material reviewed, and the State’s response to the allegations is not recorded here.
The court’s recorded route is prosecution before the competent court. Roadside recovery is not a substitute, however enthusiastically the challan machine may feel about targets.