Every vehicle owner in India has to comply with the Motor Vehicles Act, and one of the essential compliance requirements is paying traffic fines or challans for violations. With the implementation of the recently revised MV Act 2019, the traffic violation penalties have increased significantly. These penalties can be hefty for even a minor violation, and vehicle owners must keep on top of their fines. To ensure that you don’t end up paying more than you should or face further legal consequences, use these easy steps to check your challan.
What is a Challan and why is it important?
A challan is a traffic fine that drivers receive when they break traffic rules, including overspeeding, jumping signals, driving without a license, or using a mobile phone while driving. Challans include a list of violations and the penalty amount for each violation. The challan has to be paid timely, and non-payment can lead to an increase in fine or even impounding of the vehicle.
Drivers need to check their challans as soon as possible after getting a traffic ticket. In the case of delayed payment or non-payment, the traffic police have the authority to take legal action against the violator and even suspend the driving license.
Steps to Check Your Challan
You can check your challan online or offline. The online method is the easiest, quickest, and most convenient way to check your challan.
Online Challan Check:
Step 1: Visit the e-Challan website of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Step 2: Click on Challan Check Status Under the ‘Challan’ tab. You should see a drop-down menu after clicking on it.
Step 3: Select your state from the drop-down menu
Step 4: Enter your vehicle registration number and captcha code.
Step 5: Click ‘Get Details” to see the outstanding challans against your vehicle. You can also check the details of a particular challan by clicking on it.
The website shows the details of all outstanding challans against the vehicle. It’s important to pay off the challans as soon as possible to avoid more penalties and legal consequences.
Offline Challan Check:
If you don’t have access to the internet or prefer the offline mode of checking challans, you can go directly to the traffic police station. Here are the steps to follow:
Step 1: Visit the nearest traffic police station.
Step 2: Approach the counter and provide the vehicle number or your driving license number.
Step 3: The authorities at the police station will show the outstanding challans, and you can pay the fines at the counter.
It’s important to keep the challan receipt as proof of payment.
Car Insurance and Challan Check
Vehicle owners in India must have a valid car insurance policy to drive their vehicles legally. Car insurance safeguards you from financial liabilities that may arise from an accident, theft, or any other damage to the car. A valid car insurance policy also covers the legal expenses that you may incur due to any legal consequences arising from the accidents.
When it comes to checking your challan, having valid car insurance doesn’t waive your responsibility to comply with the legal requirements. It’s critical to pay off the fines as soon as possible to avoid more penalties or legal proceedings.
If you have any doubts or concerns about your car insurance policy and the extent of your coverage, it’s better to contact your insurance company and clear your doubts. It’s also wise to maintain a valid car insurance policy that is compliant with the Motor Vehicle Act and provides adequate protection.
Conclusion
Paying the challans for traffic violators is a necessary compliance requirement that every vehicle owner in India must follow. Checking your challans is an easy process, and vehicle owners can save themselves a lot of trouble by paying the penalties as soon as possible. It’s also essential to maintain valid car insurance and comply with the legal requirements to drive your vehicles hassle-free. Following the steps outlined above ensures that you can check your challans easily and avoid any legal proceedings for non-compliance with the Motor Vehicles Act.