The Telangana High Court has sharply questioned the state government over its inability to clearly specify what equipment is being used to photograph motorists for issuing electronic traffic challans. The court expressed dissatisfaction with the government's explanation during a hearing on Tuesday.
Court Demands Clarity on Enforcement Equipment
A bench led by Justice NV Shravan Kumar heard a petition challenging the irregularities in issuing traffic e-challans. While the state counsel informed the court that traffic police use authorised equipment certified by a designated state authority, the bench pointed out that this claim lacked substantiation. Merely presenting a copy of an image used for a challan did not confirm what specific device captured it.
The court has now directed the state to file a detailed counter-affidavit within one week, setting the next date of hearing for December 23. The bench issued these directions while hearing a petition that contested a challan issued for alleged triple riding.
Systematic Discrepancies in E-Challan Format
During the proceedings, the court observed significant ongoing discrepancies in the integrated e-challan system, despite government claims of updating it to reflect the Motor Vehicles Act provisions. The judges examined a sample challan submitted by the state counsel and noted with surprise that it failed to mention the specific Act or the section under which the violation was recorded.
Furthermore, the court identified a critical omission: the name of the petitioner was missing from the updated challan format. This detail was present in earlier versions, leading the bench to conclude that the e-challans have not been properly rectified and continue to cause confusion for recipients.
Legal Arguments and State's Stand
The original petition argued that for offences potentially involving imprisonment, traffic police cannot compound the case themselves. Instead, they must file a chargesheet in court, allowing a judicial magistrate to decide the penalty. In response, the state counsel informed the court that no discounts have been offered on pending challans since 2023 and that strict action, including filing charge sheets, is being taken against non-compliant violators.
The court has recorded these submissions and awaits the government's detailed counter. This case highlights growing judicial scrutiny over the transparency and legal robustness of automated traffic enforcement systems in Hyderabad and across Telangana.
