Chandigarh: Man with 222 traffic violations stripped of licence, fined ₹43,000
Taking a serious view of the matter, the Chandigarh court remarked that no emergent situation can justify committing such a large number of violations
A local court in Chandigarh has revoked the driving licence of a car driver with a staggering 222 pending traffic challans against his vehicle.
Observing that repeated offences of such a magnitude indicated a blatant disregard for traffic laws, the court also slapped a fine of ₹43,400 on Deepak Vasdev and ordered him to undergo 15 days of community service with the Chandigarh Traffic Police.
The case was heard in the presence of government counsel Sukh Ram, representing the state, with Vasdev appearing in person.
During the proceedings, Vasdev submitted a copy of the show-cause notice issued by the Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA), Chandigarh, dated January 20, 2025, which highlighted the suspension of his Toyota Innova’s registration certificate (RC) due to an overwhelming number of traffic violations. These included 168 challans for speeding, 44 for jumping the red light, eight for ignoring road markings, one for illegal parking and one for black film on car windows.
Taking a serious view of the matter, the court remarked, “No emergent situation can justify committing such a large number of violations. Over-speeding and jumping red lights are serious offences that pose a significant threat to both the violator and other road users. A person who consistently violates traffic laws demonstrates an inability to comprehend road safety and, therefore, is not competent to drive.”
Recognising that habitual offenders require corrective measures beyond financial penalties, the court invoked the concept of community service, as defined under Section 2(4-A) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The court ruled that Vasdev must perform unpaid public service as a penalty for his repeated violations. The court specified that his working hours should not exceed two hours per day.
Told to take fresh driving test
In line with Section 20 (4A) of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the court ruled that Vasdev must pass a fresh driving test before reapplying for a new licence. Until then, he remains disqualified from driving.
Furthermore, the court ordered that his vehicle be impounded and kept at Traffic Lines, Sector 29, Chandigarh. It cannot be returned to Vasdev due to driving licence revocation. However, any individual with a valid driving licence may appear before the court and apply for release of the vehicle on their behalf.