Delhi puts motor vehicle rule amendments on hold after lawyers’ strike
Delhi paused the motor vehicle rule changes after lawyers protested shifting challan adjudication powers from judicial magistrates to government officers.
Two days after lawyers across Delhi’s district courts held a strike to protest amendments to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, which they claimed could alter the traffic challan adjudication process, the Delhi government has put its implementation on hold.

“The representation is being sent to the transportation department for examination and will also be brought to the notice of the LG and CM. Till then, the transport department is being directed to put on hold the implementation of the notification (amendments),” said transport minister Pankaj Kumar Singh.
Also Read: Delhi traffic challan pendency crosses 40 million; lawyers oppose new rules
Following the development, the coordination committee of all District Courts Bar Associations of Delhi has called off the proposed strike and protest march to the LG’s house on Thursday. “Accordingly, the call for abstention from work and the proposed protest march on stands suspended,” the communication signed by NDBA secretary Tarun Rana said.
The advocates have primarily objected to transferring adjudicatory functions from judicial magistrates to sub-divisional magistrates (SDMs) and officers of government departments.
Also Read: Delhi district court lawyers strike over changes to motor vehicle rules, challan system
Amendments to Rule 167 of the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, which came into effect on January 20 this year, replaced the earlier challan disposal framework with a time-bound “pay or contest” mechanism.
Also Read: New draft rules: Unpaid traffic e-challans may freeze vehicle, licence services
Under amended Rule 167(5), a person issued a challan must either pay it or contest it through the prescribed portal, along with documentary evidence, before an authority specified by the state government within 45 days. If the challan is not contested within that period, it is deemed to have been accepted under Rule 167(6).
ABOUT THE AUTHORArnabjit SurArnabjit Sur is a Senior Correspondent with Hindustan Times who primarily covers stories from the capital's trial courts. Previously, he has worked for English dailies such as The Hindu, Indian Express and Millennium Post, where he has focused on crime and legal stories, especially incorporating both the subjects into producing long-form investigative work. Known for his penchant for minutely tracking high-profile cases with both city and national relevance, he has broken several chargesheets and police remand papers in his six-year-long career. In this present role, he uses his expertise in skimming through lengthy judgements, attending and analysing court hearings and converting them into a lucid, readable format for seamless news consumption. He has a preference for looking beyond the courtroom to highlight their human impact.Read More
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