Supreme Court Orders India to Attach ₹45,000 Crore Unpaid Traffic Fines to Power Bills

Supreme Court Justice J B Pardiwala told the court that states must attach unpaid traffic fines to electricity bills to compel payment, a move aimed at recovering ₹45,000 crore in e‑challans still outstanding.

The order follows the court’s long‑running case, S. Rajaseekaran v. Union of India, which has monitored traffic‑fine collection since 2012. 25 crore has already been recovered, leaving a debt of ₹20 crore per driver on average.

In addition to the billing link, the Court directed states to impound vehicles found with unpaid e‑challans, freeze online services such as insurance renewals, and blacklist owners from obtaining fitness and PUC certificates until dues are cleared.

Mohan Kumar of Jaipur, who owes a ₹2 lakh fine for a red‑light violation in 2023, told reporters he feared losing his home’s electricity if he could not pay. He said the threat of a power cut has added to the stress of an already strained family.

States are expected to roll out the new billing scheme by early November, with the Supreme Court monitoring compliance. If defaulters fail to settle, power disconnections could begin within 30 days of the fine’s due date.