E-challan backlog swells beyond courts: Digital technology adds to pile-up

Six years on, disposal machinery fails to catch up

It has already grown into a serious problem — especially for fleet operators, online used-vehicle sellers, ride-hailing platforms, and individual car owners.

 

Digital technology has triggered a sharp rise in e-challans issued by the government to errant drivers between 2019 and 2024. But despite penalties worth ₹42,545 crore, nearly 60 per cent remain unresolved in courts unable to cope with the mounting backlog.

 

The government has collected only ₹17,431 crore over this period. Year-wise collections have dropped steeply — from 78 per cent of assessed penalties in 2019 to just 27.5 per cent in 2024, according to data from Lawyered,