Kerala Police launches e-challans

The Kerala Police and the State Bank of Travancore have joined hands to launch an electronic traffic challan system to enable motorists to pay fines for traffic violations through banks. The new system, inaugurated by Kerala’s Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, avoids the need for motorists to pay fines on the spot, and saves them the trouble of visiting police stations and courts to pay their fines. They can now pay the fines at any State Bank of Travancore office. If successful, the system introduced in Thiruvananthapuram at present, will be gradually extended to other parts of the state as well. Under the electronic system, the traffic police will issue a bank e-challan with a 10-digit alphanumeric code to the traffic violator.

The defaulting motorist can either pay the fine on the spot, or at any SBT branch or at an Akshaya centre within 20 days of receiving the challan. The challans will be made in triplicate, with the defaulter getting two copies, and the officer retaining one copy. On failure to pay the fine within the stipulated period, the traffic police will submit a report to the concerned court and the court will issue summons. Till the new system is introduced, the existing system will continue, under which the offending motorist pays the fine either on the spot, or later at the police station, traffic office or court.