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In a recent incident in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, a traffic cop faced consequences for mistakenly issuing an e-challan against the wrong vehicle. The Magistrate Court ordered the traffic cop, Shah Nawaz, to pay ₹1,000 as compensation for the error.
The situation unfolded when a scooty owner received an e-challan, imposing a ₹1,000 fine for not wearing a helmet. However, the twist was that the traffic ticket was mistakenly issued to another scooty with a similar number plate. Feeling unfairly targeted, the scooty owner contested the e-challan, citing wasted time and money due to the negligence of the traffic department officials.
To address the matter, Judge Mudasar Farooq of the Special Mobile Magistrate (Traffic) Court in Srinagar summoned the traffic cop responsible for the error, Shah Nawaz. During the hearing, Shah Nawaz admitted to making a mistake, acknowledging that he had unintentionally issued the e-challan against the wrong scooty.
In response, the Court not only ordered the cancellation of the incorrect e-challan but also directed officials to issue a new e-challan to the actual violator of the traffic rules. Additionally, recognizing the inconvenience caused to the scooty owner, the Court ruled that Shah Nawaz, the challaning officer, must pay ₹1,000 as compensation to cover mental distress, harassment, and legal fees incurred by the applicant.
The Court’s order went further by requiring the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Traffic at Srinagar, to obtain an affidavit from Shah Nawaz. This affidavit would serve as an assurance that the challaning officer would exercise caution and care when issuing e-challans in the future.
Importantly, the incident prompted the Court to express concern about the proper functioning of the e-challan system. It pointed out that either the traffic cops operating the system lacked sufficient training or were not exercising due care during the initiation of e-challans. Consequently, the Court directed the SSP Traffic at Srinagar to sensitize traffic officials dealing with the e-challan system to prevent innocent individuals from facing similar difficulties in the future.
In its order dated February 5, the Court emphasized the need for proper training and caution among traffic officials to ensure the smooth operation of the e-challan system. The directive aimed to avoid wrongful issuances and protect innocent persons from unnecessary hassles related to traffic violations.