Petition in Lahore High Court Challenges Flaws in Punjab's E-Challan System
A civil miscellaneous application filed in the Lahore High Court argues that Punjab's e-challan system fines motorists based on number plates alone, without verifying vehicle make, model, or colour, leading to wrongful penalties.
A petition filed in the Lahore High Court has raised concerns over how Punjab's electronic challan system identifies vehicles, arguing that fines are being issued without proper verification of the vehicles involved. The application, submitted by Advocate Azhar Siddique as part of a pending constitutional petition, claims that flaws in the identification process are causing motorists to be penalised for violations committed by unrelated vehicles.
According to the application, the system relies primarily on number plates and does not cross-check a vehicle's make, model, and colour, increasing the likelihood of incorrect fines. One cited case involves a Gujrat resident whose 2018 model car reportedly received five e-challans for traffic violations in Lahore. The photographs attached to those challans allegedly showed a different vehicle model, and the owner said his car was travelling from Naran to Gujrat at the time and was not in Lahore.
A second case referenced in the application concerns a lawyer whose vehicle reportedly received four e-challans totalling Rs 11,000. The petitioner argued that merely naming an officer on an e-challan does not demonstrate that the violation was independently verified, and that automated identification without human checks leaves room for error.
The application also warned of the practical consequences of unpaid fines. It noted that outstanding e-challans can lead to vehicle confiscation and restrictions on ownership transfers and token tax payments, which could create significant difficulties for motorists who have been wrongly penalised.
The petitioner has urged the court to require greater transparency and accountability in the system, including proper human verification and a workable mechanism for drivers to contest incorrect challans. He maintained that technology should make things easier for citizens rather than penalise them without adequate checks. The matter remains part of the pending constitutional petition before the Lahore High Court.
