CM Siddaramaiah clears long pending dues under Bengaluru traffic fine discount scheme: Report

Bengaluru's traffic fine discount scheme sees prominent figures, including CM Siddaramaiah and BJP president BY Vijayendra, settling long-overdue fines.

As Karnataka’s traffic fine discount scheme gains momentum, high-profile political figures have quietly joined the ranks of citizens clearing long-pending dues. Among them are Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and state BJP president BY Vijayendra, both of whom recently paid off traffic fines incurred by their official vehicles.

Bengaluru traffic fine discount scheme: Siddaramaiah paid ₹2,500 for seven violations, while Vijayendra cleared ₹3,250 for ten. (PTI)

The Chief Minister’s official Toyota Fortuner was flagged for seven violations - including six seatbelt infractions and one speeding case - between January and August 2024, all captured by surveillance cameras under the city’s Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS). Notably, Siddaramaiah was reportedly seated in the passenger seat during the seatbelt violations, said a report by The Indian Express.

Taking advantage of the government's 50 per cent traffic fine waiver, the CM’s office settled the dues by paying ₹2,500. Officials from the Bengaluru Traffic Police emphasized that the penalties were handled strictly according to standard protocol, with no special treatment.

Meanwhile, Vijayendra cleared 10 pending violations tied to his vehicle, which included speeding, signal violations and seatbelt-related offences. His office paid a total of ₹3,250, with some fines dating back as far as 2020.

The ongoing discount scheme, valid from August 23 to September 12, is aimed at tackling the mountain of unresolved traffic cases across the state. With nearly 3 crore violations pending between 2019 and 2025 - collectively worth around ₹1,000 crore - the initiative has already seen a strong public response. As of Saturday, authorities reported the settlement of over 16.2 lakh cases, bringing in ₹45.5 crore in recovered fines.