Delhi is moving to implement amended traffic challan rules under which motorists whose online grievances are rejected will have to deposit at least 50% of the penalty before approaching court. The system will come into force from the date of its publication in the official gazette, following the Lieutenant Governor’s notification of officers who will handle challan-related grievances.
The notified grievance redressal officers include section officers from various departments, food and supplies officers, tehsildars, and district transport and enforcement officers. Sub-divisional magistrates and additional district magistrates will serve as supervisory authorities, overseeing coordination and monitoring of the process.
The new framework follows the amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules and a Ministry of Road Transport and Highways gazette notification dated January 20, 2026. Under the process, motorists will have 45 days from the date of challan issuance to pay the penalty or challenge it online before a designated grievance redressal officer.
If no action is taken during those 45 days, the challan will be treated as accepted and the penalty will have to be paid within the following 30 days. If the grievance is rejected and the motorist decides to approach court, 50% of the penalty amount will have to be deposited before the appeal.
A senior official cited in the report said the amended rules were intended to establish a formal stage for resolving disputes before they reach court. The official said that previously, many violators approached court directly after receiving a challan.
The Delhi administration had announced in April that it would implement the amended provisions. The rollout is being coordinated with upgrades to Delhi Traffic Police’s e-challan machines and camera-based enforcement network. The proposed digital workflow will track the complete life cycle of a challan, including issuance, payment, grievance filing, disposal and referral to court where necessary.
The system will also bring challans generated through the city’s automated enforcement network, including CCTV cameras, into the same workflow. Officials said electronic challans will be delivered within three days when the violator’s mobile number is available in government records. If no mobile number is available, a physical notice will be issued within 15 days.
The digital trail will record the issuance of a challan, grievance proceedings, payments and final disposal. Traffic police are also tightening the on-the-spot challan process by making photographs of the violator, vehicle and prosecuting officer mandatory.
The technology upgrade is expected to include improved image quality, better number plate recognition and more accurate detection of violations involving two-wheelers, which have presented difficulties for automated camera enforcement. The amended grievance system will become operational after the relevant notification is published in the official gazette.
