SC stays HC order imposing additional fine on traffic challan

New Delhi, May 6 (UNI) In a relief to vehicle drivers in the national capital, the Supreme Court has stayed the Delhi High Court order imposing an additional cost of Rs 500 on every traffic challan.

The Delhi High Court in its judgement, dated March 26, 2007, had directed the Delhi police and transport authorities to impose a cost of Rs 500 on every challan in addition to the normal fine, to be imposed for the violation of a particular traffic rule.

For instance, if a two-wheeler driver is caught without a helmet then the driver had to pay Rs 600 instead of Rs 100.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan has stayed the operation of the para of the High Court judgement which had directed the authorities to impose a cost of Rs 500 for every traffic challan.

The petitioners have challenged the High Court's order on the grounds that courts can not impose cost on a fine and this is job of Parliament and unless and until Motor Vehicles Act is suitably amended by Parliament, courts cannot increase the fine by imposing an additional cost.

The Delhi High Court had imposed the additional cost to check the menace of increasing incidence of violation of traffic rules and drunken driving leading to an alarming increase in road accidents in the national capital.

UNI SC KK RP AS1646