Srinagar, Nov 29: A court here has directed IGP Kashmir (traffic) to ensure halting of online challans of seizure of vehicles till the technical glitches faced by the online system are “properly resolved”.
The direction was passed by Special Mobile Magistrate (Traffic) Srinagar, Jahangir Bakshi, while hearing a plea in which the court was informed that an alleged violator was challaned but the same has not been sent to the court either manually or virtually.
The applicant had submitted that due to non-availability of physical or virtual copy of the challan, he has been remediless.
“Admittedly, the standard operating procedure for online traffic challans is that the whole process is automated i.e the whole process from initiation of E-challan till its disposal by the Court is to be conducted through online Virtual system,” the court said, adding, “The disposal of E-challan by the court is possible only when the corresponding copy of E-challan is received by the virtual court for its adjudication but in the instant case no such copy has been received.”
The court said that no satisfactory answer has been provided either by Assistant Public Prosecutor or DTI, who was present in the court, about problem faced by the applicant as well as by the court regarding it.
“Due to nonavailability of virtual or physical copy of the challan, the applicant was rendered remediless. The whole process of initiation of E-challan for seizure of vehicle without having the corresponding copy of E-challan for this court is in violation of standard operating procedure. The applicant has been illegally forced to pay fine of Rs.6000 without following the due process of law,” the court said, adding, “All those vehicles which have been seized in gross violation of standard operating procedure of providing copy of E-challan to this Court be released without realizing fine from them,” the court said, adding, “IGP Kashmir (traffic) shall ensure the halting of online challans of seizure of vehicles till the technical faced glitches by the system are properly resolved.”
Meanwhile, traffic police said that it has been noted that E challans where vehicles have been seized or impounded by the Traffic Police are not being reflected in the virtual court system of the Special Mobile Magistrate (Traffic) Srinagar. “This issue apparently has cropped up due to a glitch in the NIC server and Srinagar traffic police has already raised the matter with NIC for resolution of this issue at an earliest,” the traffic police said in a statement .
“In the meantime as directed by the Spl Mobile Magistrate (Traffic), vehicles will not be impounded/ seized through E Challan. However E challans will continue to be used for all other form of enforcement of traffic laws & rules,” it said, adding, “Wherever necessary vehicles will be siezed/impounded through the issuance of manual challans, pending the resolution of the technical glitch. “
